CRM-geothermal

CRM-geothermal

Raw materials from geothermal fluids: occurrence, enrichment, extraction

Short summary

The energy and digital switchover requires large quantities of minerals, some of which are considered “critical” by the European Union. These critical raw materials (CRM) are predominantly imported from countries outside Europe, where environmental and ethical standards are less stringent than in the EU. The EU also has untapped natural resources, e.g. in geothermal energy, and it is known that critical mineral resources are present in dissolved form in geothermal fluids associated with some of our geothermal reservoirs.

The EU-funded CRM-geothermal project is therefore researching the combined use of mineral resources and geothermal heat. The technological solution developed by CRM-geothermal will thus help Europe to meet the strategic goals of the EU Green Deal and the Sustainable Development Agenda, while reducing dependence on imported CRM.

Project objectives

Although it is a known fact that dissolved critical mineral resources (CRM) in geothermal fluids are a raw material, there is still much uncertainty about their occurrence in different geological settings and the sustainability of their extraction. The actual extraction process is also challenging and requires technological development.

Therefore, the CRM geothermal project has the following objectives:

• To review the potential of mineral resources in geothermal fluids in the EU and third countries,
• investigation of selected CRM resources, their mobility and sustainable extraction from geothermal brines,
• develop and optimise innovative extraction technologies from CRM-containing geothermal fluids that can serve as a model for EU SMEs,
• assessing environmental-socio-economic feasibility, establishing transparent and traceable value chains and promoting sustainable exploitation of critical mineral resources,
• demonstrate at least one CRM extraction technology on a pilot scale at a pilot site and assess the overall sustainability of the system.

Expected impact

• Coupled extraction has the potential to cover a significant percentage of the current and future needs of certain CRMs in the EU with low (extra) CAPEX and OPEX and minimal ESG impacts,
• building a more flexible and EU-scale CRM supply chain by reducing imports exposed to market and political risks,
• more reliable and ethical supply chains for certain CRMs,
• bridging the gap between social resistance to extractive industries and society’s growing demand for raw materials,
• encouraging overseas suppliers to adopt more sustainable and ethical production methods,
• encouraging more sustainable CHPM geothermal projects as part of the energy transition.