Imerys has announced that Banque des Territoires, acting on behalf of the French government, will acquire a minority stake in the EMILI lithium project. The €50 million investment, to be finalized in the coming months, is part of France’s strategy under its ‘critical metals’ initiative. It supports the project in completing its definitive feasibility study, scheduled for early 2027, a prerequisite for any final investment decision on the future lithium production site in Allier.
Recognized as a project of national and European strategic interest, EMILI (Exploitation de Mica Lithinifère) is designed to extract and process lithium from the Beauvoir deposit in Allier, one of the five largest hard-rock lithium deposits worldwide. Developed under rigorous responsible-mining standards, the integrated operation aims to supply lithium sufficient for approximately 700,000 electric vehicles annually while minimizing environmental impact.
The partnership between Imerys and the French State is intended to reinforce France’s economic, industrial, and energy sovereignty by securing domestic production of a critical mineral. Imerys emphasizes that this equity stake aligns with its own objectives and France’s goals for a competitive and sustainable lithium industry. Both parties intend to collaborate closely on project development and later stages of implementation, subject to regulatory approvals.
French government officials have highlighted the importance of securing supply chains for strategic metals. The project is fully aligned with national and European decarbonization efforts and is expected to play a central role in building a French and European value chain for vehicle electrification. Imerys has also called for a minimum local content requirement in Europe—20% by 2030 and 40% by 2036—to support the development of a viable, long-term lithium industry in the region.
Once regulatory approvals are in place and the feasibility study is completed, Imerys plans to advance toward a final investment decision and move EMILI into the operational phase, further strengthening domestic supply of low-carbon lithium for automakers and battery manufacturers.
Source: Imerys Media Room
