European lithium refinery starts up in Germany Bitterfeld-Wolfen in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt has welcomed the start-up of a European lithium refinery, operated by AMG, marking an important advancement in Europe's autonomy in the supply chain for electric vehicle batteries. The plant is expected to produce 20,000 tons of lithium hydroxide per year, meeting the battery needs of around 500,000 electric vehicles and helping to reduce dependence on external lithium sources. The completion of the plant will not only create 80 local jobs, but is also expected to increase production to 100,000 tons per year once operational, meeting 14% of Europe's lithium demand by 2030. The German government has high hopes for the project, seeing it as key to the energy transition and the autonomy of the electric vehicle industry. Despite the challenge of high electricity costs, AMG has optimized production costs by taking advantage of Brazil's hydro resources and German expertise. The total investment in the plant is approximately 150 million euros, and although no additional state funding has been allocated, AMG is confident about the future of the European battery materials market.