October 6, 2025: The discovery of major lithium reserves in Germany could be a turning point in reducing Europe’s reliance on external material supplies for EV battery manufacturing, Neptune Energy said on September 24.

Hanover-based Neptune, an energy and raw materials supplier, said latest studies conducted last August showed the size of the proven Altmark deposit, in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, amounted to 43 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent.

A second pilot test for direct lithium extraction, with technology partner Lilac, was also completed in August. Neptune said battery-grade lithium was produced from the deep water of the Altmark with the help of an ion exchange process.

A third pilot test has been underway since mid-September in order to technically evaluate an adsorption process.

The pilot phases will be followed by a demonstration phase, in which the use of a fully integrated extraction plant will be tested as the next step towards commercial production.

These subsequent steps will require various additional permits. Nevertheless, Neptune said the discovery “means that northern Saxony-Anhalt is home to one of the largest project-related lithium resources in the world”.

Neptune CEO Andreas Scheck said the discovery had the potential to make a significant contribution to the German and European supply of a raw material critical to the manufacture of EV batteries.

Altmark is a traditional energy and raw materials region and has been a center of natural gas production since 1969 by Neptune and various predecessor firms.