Finland – Sibanye-Stillwater Keliber lithium project aims to develop a sustainable operation to produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide, an essential component in lithium-ion batteries.
Sibanye-Stillwater’s acquisition of Keliber is in line with our aim to develop a unique global portfolio of green metals and energy solutions that enable reversal of climate change. Lithium is essential to reducing global CO2 emissions.
The European Commission has recognised the strategic significance of the Keliber lithium project by granting it Strategic Project status under the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act affirming our strategic investment and focus on European ecosystem development.
Located in Finland, the Keliber lithium project is strategically positioned close to critical and growing regional end-user battery markets for lithium hydroxide in Europe.
Finland’s reliable and sound economic and social infrastructure make the country an attractive investment destination. A National Battery Strategy outlines national objectives for Finland to be a competitive and sustainable player in the global battery sector. The country is, furthermore, optimally located to supply the growing European battery market. See the announcement published 26 March 2025.
The Keliber lithium project owns several advanced lithium deposits, covering an area of more than 500km² in Central Ostrobothnia, in western Finland on the Gulf of Bothnia. The lithium deposits of Central Ostrobothnia, first identified in the late 1950s, are among the most significant in Europe.
The Keliber lithium project is emerging as a scalable district opportunity. Sibanye-Stillwater is committed to further exploration to extend the area’s resource potential.
Development of the Keliber project will deliver significant benefits to both the national fiscus and to regional stakeholders – the project will entail meaningful local investment and support for regional suppliers and be a source of employment. At the end of 2024, the Keliber lithium project employed 157 people directly with an additional 800 contractors working on the construction sites. See Sustainability.
The Keliber lithium project is expected to be the first integrated lithium operation in Europe, producing lithium hydroxide from its own mined ore reserves. Estimated annual production of approximately 15,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate will supply the growing international lithium battery market for at least 18 years.
Critical success factors for the project include technical manufacturing readiness, having the necessary approved project and operating permitting in place and signed offtake agreements.
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Finland – Sibanye-Stillwater Keliber lithium project aims to develop a sustainable operation to produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide, an essential component in lithium-ion batteries., source
