EU Designates Sibanye Stillwater's Keliber Lithium and GalliCam Projects as Strategic
The European Commission has designated Sibanye Stillwater's Keliber lithium project in Finland and its GalliCam project in France as 'Strategic Projects' under the Critical Raw Materials Act.
Sibanye Stillwater announced that the European Commission has awarded 'Strategic Project' status to its Keliber lithium project in Finland and its GalliCam project in France. This designation falls under the European Union's Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), which aims to bolster the EU's access to essential materials.
The selection process identified 47 projects from 170 applications based on criteria including environmental, social, and governance (ESG) compliance and technical feasibility. Sibanye Stillwater highlighted its pride in having both its European projects recognized under these conditions.
The Keliber lithium project is projected to produce Europe's first battery-grade lithium hydroxide from its own ore. The project encompasses multiple mining areas, a concentrator, and a lithium hydroxide refinery. Production is anticipated to commence in the first half of 2026, with an estimated annual output of 15,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide for at least 18 years.
Sibanye Stillwater holds a 79.8% stake in the Keliber project, with Finnish Minerals Group holding 20%. The project has been funded by its owners and secured a €500 million green loan in August 2024.
The wholly-owned GalliCam project is currently in its pre-feasibility stage, expected to conclude in 2025. This project aims to repurpose Sibanye Stillwater's Sandouville nickel refinery to produce precursor Cathode Active Material (pCAM), potentially positioning it as one of Europe's initial pCAM producers and supporting the regional electric vehicle battery industry.