The Swiss joint-stock company ARCORE AG, which has identified significant quantities of lithium carbonate, magnesium, potassium, and boron through exploration in the Lopare municipality, has formed a strategic partnership with “Rock Tech Lithium,” a company it plans to supply with raw materials. “Rock Tech Lithium” already has contracts with the automotive giant “Mercedes-Benz Group AG.”
ARCORE AG, an internationally active mining company based in Zug, Switzerland, and specializing in the development of identified mineral deposits in Southeast Europe, states that the goal of their collaboration with “Rock Tech Lithium” is to reliably and long-term supply the company with lithium from Lopare.
“Rock Tech Lithium” is a company focused on clean technologies, operating in Canada and Germany, and the upcoming partnership is an important foundation for developing regional and domestic value chains for electric vehicle batteries in Europe.
“Rock Tech Lithium” is currently building a facility in Germany, which will produce lithium hydroxide for the battery and automotive industry from 2026, and it already has signed purchase agreements with “Mercedes-Benz Group AG.”
Arcore expects to start lithium production in Lopare by the end of 2026, following the confirmation of extensive raw material deposits.
The company estimates that the Lopare area contains deposits of 1.5 million tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE), 14 million tons of boron (B2O3), 35 million tons of potassium (KCI), and 94 million tons of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4).
The company highlights the proximity to key production sites and markets of major European industries, such as automotive and battery manufacturing, as an advantage.
Arcore conducted comprehensive geological research in Lopare, investing more than 10 million KM directly into field research and significantly more into the overall project development.
The focus was on lithium and boron, but reliable results indicated that magnesium and potassium would quantitatively dominate the extraction process, followed by lithium and boron.
The Lopare project, according to Arcore, has the potential to become one of the largest mines of its kind in Europe.
” Arcore will use the latest technology and the highest safety standards to minimize environmental impact on air, land, and water. Various independent expert reports have shown that environmentally and socially responsible mining is possible, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, various European standards, and the official requirements of the Republic of Srpska,” the company announced.
Source: Nezavisne novine
