A quiet region in northern Germany has suddenly gained global attention after scientists confirmed one of the world’s largest lithium deposits deep beneath the plains of Saxony-Anhalt, hidden inside a former natural gas field that has operated for decades.
Lithium, a critical metal used in batteries for electric vehicles, renewable energy storage, and everyday electronics, has long been imported into Europe, mainly from South America,, and processed in Asia, making this discovery especially significant.
The lithium is dissolved in hot, salty water known as brine, located thousands of meters underground and brought to the surface during gas extraction. New assessments estimate the site contains around 43 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent, placing it among the largest known single-site lithium resources globally and drawing attention not only for its size but also for its unexpected location and method of extraction.
A former gas field reveals an unexpected resource
The Altmark region has a long history with energy production. For years, companies drilled deep wells to extract natural gas from sandstone layers underground. Over time, these wells also brought up large amounts of salty water. This brine was seen as a byproduct, not a resource.
That view has now changed. Tests showed that the brine contains unusually high levels of lithium. On average, each liter of water holds about 375 milligrams of the metal. While that may sound small, the total volume of brine underground is enormous. When added together, the numbers become significant.
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Independent technical reviews confirmed the scale of the deposit. The assessment followed strict international reporting rules used for mineral resources. The results showed that the lithium-rich area stretches across multiple licensed zones in the Altmark basin. All of these zones sit within an area already shaped by past gas operations.
Because the region already has wells, pipelines, and access roads, no large open pits or surface mines are involved. This makes the site very different from traditional lithium projects. There are no evaporation ponds and no vast land clearances. Instead, the lithium remains deep underground until extracted through closed systems.
The lithium in Altmark did not come mainly from ancient seawater. Studies show that most of it formed when heat broke down minerals in volcanic rock layers below the sandstone. Over millions of years, lithium slowly moved into the surrounding groundwater. As a result, the brine became evenly enriched across a wide area.
The depth of the deposit ranges from about 3,200 to 4,000 meters. At these levels, temperatures rise above 120 degrees Celsius. This natural heat plays an important role in both lithium enrichment and extraction processes.
How lithium is extracted from deep underground brine
The lithium in Altmark is not mined in the traditional sense. There are no drills cutting rock to bring up solid ore. Instead, operators pump hot brine to the surface through existing wells. Once it is removed, the remaining water is sent back underground.
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This method is known as direct lithium extraction, or DLE. It uses advanced filtration systems to separate lithium from other salts. One tested method uses ion exchange. Another relies on adsorption, where lithium sticks to special materials while other elements pass through.
Pilot plants have already shown that these systems can produce battery-grade lithium carbonate. This form of lithium is ready for use in battery manufacturing. The process takes hours or days, not months. That is much faster than evaporation-based methods used elsewhere in the world.
DLE systems also use far less land and water. Because the brine returns to its original layer, the underground balance stays largely intact. The process runs in enclosed facilities, which limits surface impact. This is especially important in regions with farming and nearby towns.
The hot temperature of the brine adds another technical feature. The heat can support energy needs at the site. This reduces external power demand during extraction and processing. The combination of heat and minerals makes the Altmark brine unusually valuable from an engineering perspective.
Unlike many lithium regions, the chemistry of the Altmark brine stays consistent across large areas. This stability matters because it allows extraction systems to operate with fewer interruptions. Stable feedstock supports predictable output and controlled operations.
Why the Altmark deposit matters for Europe’s lithium supply
Today, most lithium comes from the so-called Lithium Triangle in South America. There, producers rely on large evaporation ponds that consume significant water. These operations often compete with local water use and agriculture. Transporting lithium from these regions to Europe adds time, cost, and emissions.
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Europe has been working to reduce this dependence. New rules aim to secure a share of critical raw materials within the region. Lithium sits high on that list because of its role in clean energy and electric mobility.
The Altmark deposit sits inside the European Union and within an established industrial zone. Roads, power lines, and workforce networks already exist. This reduces the need for new large-scale construction. It also allows tighter environmental oversight under existing regulations.
The reuse of former gas infrastructure gives the site a unique position. Wells that once supplied fossil fuels now access materials used for low-emission technologies. The same region that powered homes in the past now holds resources for batteries and energy storage.
Germany’s confirmation of such a large lithium resource changes how Europe views its underground potential. Until recently, Europe was seen mainly as a buyer in the global lithium market. With Altmark, it becomes a holder of one of the world’s largest known deposits.
Regulatory reviews are ongoing, focusing on groundwater protection, waste handling, and long-term monitoring. These steps form part of the normal approval process for mineral operations in Germany. No commercial-scale production has started yet, but extensive testing data already exists.
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The Altmark lithium lies deep, stays contained, and uses technology designed to limit surface impact. Its size, location, and method of extraction make it different from most known sources. As a result, this former gas field now stands at the center of Europe’s lithium map, based purely on confirmed geological and technical facts.
