It is estimated there are enough resources that the life of a mine could exceed 30 years and produce 20,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent per year. This would meet roughly two-thirds of Britain’s estimated battery demand by 2030. The UK government has previously acknowledged the urgent need for electric vehicle battery manufacturing in the UK to secure the future of the car industry. A spokesperson for the new Cornwall project said drilling and exploration had been carried out since 2017 and a process and pilot plant had been developed. It has received financial support from Innovate UK and the Automotive Transformation Fund, a program to support the electrification of vehicles and their supply chains in the UK.