Project Lead: Professor Kenneth Mccaffrey
Institution: Durham University
Partners: Weardale Lithium Limited.
Amount: £ 28k
Scheme: Ideas Translation.
Theme/Area: Low Carbon Energy Generation/Geothermal.
Brief Description: The UK Government’s Critical Minerals Strategy (2023) prioritises strengthening domestic capabilities and increasing UK production of battery metals, including lithium. The Weardale granite batholith in the North Pennines hosts a developing geothermal lithium resource. This project aims to adapt early-stage research methods (TRL 1–2) developed by Durham University Earth Sciences for crystalline basement oil reservoirs to the assessment of critical mineral resources. The work will support project partner Weardale Lithium Ltd in refining resource and reserve estimates and informing future appraisal drilling programmes.