On Friday 10th July, we were delighted to welcome our local MP, Chris McDonald, to the future home of Tees Valley Lithium located in Billingham at the heart of the Teesside chemical cluster.
The visit gave the opportunity for the TVL team to explain in detail the plans for our refinery within the context of the established industrial cluster, as well as discussing the key policy priorities for the wider chemicals and process sector, such as ensuring competitive energy costs. As a politician with a background in Teesside industry, Mr McDonald showed a deep interest in the plans for the plant and the opportunities for local supply chain businesses to support the delivery of the project.
During the visit, Chris also heard from the team and Chairman, Paul Atherley, about the significant progress being made on commercial partnerships with customers and feedstock suppliers. Following the recently announced partnership with Canadian E3 Lithium, there was discussion of the range of domestic and international partnership opportunities the team are working on to secure a diversified lithium supply chain for UK and European customers. The £185 million merchant refinery will be one of Europe’s largest lithium refineries converting high value feedstock with full traceability, including feedstock from recycled sources, into battery grade lithium to support 550,000 electric vehicles annually.
Following a tour of the site and discussions with the team, Chris described Tees Valley Lithium as “a project of national importance…” in a region “…with the skills, infrastructure and logistics already in place” to support the building of a resilient critical minerals supply chain for the UK and Europe.
TVL CEO, Vikki Jeckell, commented “We are grateful that Chris made the time to visit and discuss our plans for the Billingham refinery in detail. There has been fantastic local support for the project and it was clear to our team that Chris is passionate about supporting the Teesside chemical and process sector to develop a new generation of opportunity for the area.”
At Tees Valley Lithium (TVL), sustainability isn’t an add-on, it’s built into every aspect of our operations. From circular economy principles to transparent supply chains, we’re pioneering a new model for lithium refining in the UK and Europe: one that’s clean, ethical, and built to last.
TVL is designed to minimise waste and maximise reuse, ensuring we operate as part of a broader circular industrial ecosystem. That means reducing environmental impact while strengthening local value chains. Our approach includes:
Reusing wastewater within our operations to cut down on freshwater consumption and eliminate unnecessary discharge
Recovering by-products from lithium refining that can be sold into other industries—turning potential waste into valuable materials
Prioritising closed-loop systems to limit the need for landfill and reduce our overall footprint
Every tonne of lithium refined at TVL will be fully traceable from mine to market. We work exclusively with responsible suppliers and hold ourselves to the highest environmental and ethical standards. This ensures full alignment with upcoming EU battery passport requirements and global ESG reporting expectations.
Our transparency is about accountability, trust, and setting a new benchmark for the lithium industry.
Located at Wilton International within the Teesside Freeport, TVL is strategically positioned in a hub of low-carbon energy and industrial synergy. From harnessing offshore wind via Dogger Bank to aligning with PD Ports’ net-zero agenda, our operations are tightly integrated with the UK’s clean energy ambitions.
This location gives us a unique advantage: a resilient, low-emissions supply chain connected directly to sustainable energy infrastructure.
Our commitment to sustainability goes beyond environmental metrics. We care about people. The construction of our refinery will create over 1,000 jobs, and once operational, we’ll support 250 high-skilled green roles. By investing in the local workforce and engaging with stakeholders across Teesside, we’re helping to drive regional regeneration and support the next generation of clean energy careers.
At TVL, we believe in growing sustainably, and growing together.
Lithium may be a tiny element, but it plays a huge role in the renewable energy transition. It’s the key ingredient in electric vehicle batteries, smartphones, and energy storage systems. But before lithium can power your life, it has to be refined.
Currently, lithium is extracted from two main sources: spodumene, found in Australia, and brine, located in the salt flats of South America.
But the processes are slightly different. Spodumene is mined, crushed, and then treated through acid-roasting. For brine extraction, salt-rich water is pumped from underground reservoirs into surface evaporation ponds, where, over several months, the water gradually evaporates, causing various salts to crystallize and separate.
At this stage, lithium concentrate generally contains only 5-6% lithium, while battery-grade lithium requires a purity of 99.99%. Today, roughly 75% of the world’s lithium is refined in China.
We have set out to change this and provide European cell manufacturers with a local, resilient supply chain.
The UK has two major competitive advantages; chemical parks and bad weather. Chemical parks, meaning dedicated production sites, and bad weather, meaning strong offshore winds.
Tees Valley Lithium aims to establish the UK’s first low-carbon lithium refinery. It is strategically located in a large chemical park in Teesside in the North East of England, which is connected to one of the world’s largest offshore wind farms, Dogger Bank.
TVL is a refiner not miner, building lithium supply chains in the UK and Europe, reducing reliance on a single dominant market, and supporting the global energy transition.
Tees Valley Lithium Ltd. is a registered company in the United Kingdom. The company is committed to operating in accordance with applicable environmental, regulatory, and industry standards. All partnerships and activities are conducted with a focus on transparency, sustainability, and ethical business practices.
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