RCS - Weardale Lithium Ltd - Weardale Lithium secures DRIVE35 Scale-Up Funding
10/04/2026 08:15
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RNS Number : 8800Z Weardale Lithium Limited 10 April 2026
PRESS RELEASE
10(th) April 2026
Weardale Lithium secures DRIVE35 Scale-Up Feasibility Studies grant to advance
UK lithium production
Weardale Lithium has secured grant funding through the UK Government's DRIVE35
Scale-Up: Feasibility Studies competition, supporting the next phase of
development at its geothermal lithium project in County Durham.
The £4 billion DRIVE35 programme, delivered by the Department for Business
and Trade in partnership with the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) and
Innovate UK, is designed to accelerate investment in zero-emission vehicle
technologies and strengthen the UK's end-to-end automotive and battery supply
chain.
The grant funding provided by UK Government will enable Weardale Lithium to
undertake a detailed feasibility study to map its geothermal lithium-bearing
brinefield within the North Pennine Orefield, de-risking future commercial
deployment of Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology and informing
long-term wellfield design and commercial production strategy.
Lithium is a critical mineral for lithium-ion batteries used in zero-emission
electric vehicles and energy storage systems. The UK Government's 2025
Critical Minerals Strategy set out a roadmap to establish competitive domestic
production of lithium raw materials.
By advancing subsurface characterisation and technical modelling, the
feasibility study represents an important step towards establishing a domestic
source of battery-grade lithium carbonate, reducing reliance on imported raw
materials and strengthening the resilience of the UK's EV manufacturing base.
The project is strategically positioned within the North East, a region
already home to significant automotive and battery manufacturing capability,
enabling the development of a locally integrated 'borehole-to-battery' supply
chain.
The £0.7m feasibility study project will refine and de-risk the approach
taken for wellfield scale-up to cashflow positive production. Among the
workflows, the project will include exploration to define fracture networks
hosting lithium-bearing brines. The interpretation will be utilised to
refine the existing 3D geological model and optimise wellfield development for
future commercial production.
Stewart Dickson, CEO of Weardale Lithium, said: "Securing support through the
DRIVE35 Scale-Up programme is an important milestone for Weardale Lithium and
for the development of a secure, domestic lithium supply in the UK.
This funding enables us to undertake critical subsurface mapping and technical
analysis of our geothermal brine resource in County Durham, providing the data
needed to inform commercial scale-up and future investment decisions.
Our project aligns directly with the UK Critical Minerals Strategy and wider
UK Battery Strategy. By developing low-carbon Direct Lithium Extraction
integrated with on-site conversion to battery-grade lithium carbonate, we are
positioning the North East at the forefront of the UK's emerging battery
materials supply chain while creating high-value jobs and long-term economic
benefits for the region."
Ian Constance, CEO, Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC), said: "The projects
announced today demonstrate the UK's determination to lead the shift to
zero-emission mobility. By facilitating the UK Government's DRIVE35 grants,
we are turning world-class innovation into industrial capability. With our
partners in DBT and Innovate UK, we are backing manufacturers, empowering
SMEs, and strengthening the UK's sovereign supply chain.
This multi-million pound support package is more than an investment in
technology; it is an investment in the people, skills, and companies that will
define the future of clean transport. Together, we are building the
foundations of a competitive, resilient, and sustainable automotive industry."
Located at a brownfield site in Eastgate, Weardale Lithium is developing the
UK's leading commercial lithium extraction facility from geothermal brine.
Planning permission has been granted for a two-phase development, enabling
commercial scale-up and represents the UK's largest permitted lithium
extraction project.
Once fully commercialised, the project is expected to support significant
regional economic activity through high-skilled employment, supply chain
engagement and inward investment, while contributing to the UK's strategic
objective of building a secure, sustainable and globally competitive battery
materials ecosystem.
ENDS
NEWS RELEASE: ISSUED ON BEHALF OF WEARDALE LITHIUM LIMITED
For further information & media enquiries contact: Jamie Collis 01325
363436
Photo caption:
Editors' Notes:
About Drive35
Delivered by the Department for Business and Trade in partnership with the
Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) and Innovate UK, the DRIVE35 programme
is part of the UK Government's Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan, which
outlines its commitment to a zero-emission future, with an unprecedented £4
billion of grant funding available to 2035 for automotive R&D, scale-up,
and transformation.
About Weardale Lithium
Weardale Lithium Limited is an innovative natural resources development
company seeking to provide a secure and sustainable, domestic supply of
lithium from underground geothermal waters in Weardale, County Durham, UK.
Weardale Lithium is the first company to successfully produce lithium
carbonate from the geothermal groundwaters beneath the North Pennine Orefield
using Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology. It has a strategic position
in the UK critical minerals supply chain.
Weardale Lithium is committed to sustainability and environmental
responsibility.
Extraction of lithium from brines by DLE has a lower carbon footprint and
higher sustainability credentials (low water consumption and low waste) than
other lithium sources such as continental brines (salar) and hard rock lithium
mining operations.
Supply of domestic lithium is of strategic importance to the UK in achieving
its net-zero ambitions and production batteries for electric vehicles and
battery energy storage systems. UK-produced lithium will provide national
supply resilience and security with a lower environmental impact.
Lithium is classified as a Critical Mineral by the UK Government and the UK
Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre. More widely, Lithium has been
designated as a strategic metal by the European Union, US, Canadian and
Australian governments as well as the International Energy Agency and NATO.
There is currently no commercial scale lithium production or refining in the
UK and Europe despite a significant market opportunity and rising demand.
For more information, please visit:
® www.weardalelithium.co (http://www.weardalelithium.co)
® @weardalelithium on X
® Weardale Lithium on LinkedIn
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