Vulcan Energy Resources is making headway on its Project Lionheart, detailing construction updates for its €2.2bn phase one work in an August 2026 corporate presentation.
The company, which is listed in Germany and Australia, reported that bulk earthworks and high-voltage power line relocations at the geothermal and lithium extraction site at the German-French border remain on schedule for completion by Q3 2026.
It announced at the end of 2025 that it had commenced execution of phase one at the project site, which is located along the Rhine, between the cities of Ludwigshafen, Mannheim and Strasbourg.
The first phase is targeting output of some 24ktpa lithium chemicals, 275 GWh of renewable power and 560 GWh of heat per annum over a 30-year period.
According to, Vulcan Energy, it is one of the only lithium projects globally with financial close and now in construction.
In its presentation, the company posted images of construction works at the Lionheart lithium extraction site and planned geothermal power plant site in Landau.
Construction work to date includes laying of the first foundation concrete layers for the Lionheart geothermal power plant in Landau, stockpiling inventory at a pipe fabrication yard in Germany, and early bulk earthworks at the Frankfurt lithium chemical plant site.
In 2027, the plan is to commence civil works at the lithium chemical plant, start construction of the geothermal power plant and secure delivery of first process equipment packages
at both the lithium chemical plant and the the extraction plant.
Upstream production and the first lithium chemical plant production is expected in 2028, with the project ramping up commercial output during 2029.