Raw material extraction project in the Ore Mountains pushed ahead

In addition to plans for a new mine in Pöhla, other projects for the extraction of raw materials such as tin and lithium are being driven forward in the Ore Mountains. There are currently 36 exploration and extraction projects for ores and spars in Saxony, said Chief Mining Inspector Bernhard Cramer in response to a dpa query. The focus is on tin, zinc, tungsten, lithium as well as fluorspar and barite. The mining authority recently approved plans for a new mine in Pöhla, a district of Schwarzenberg. The company Saxony Minerals & Exploration AG (SME) wanted to provide information about its next steps on Monday. Further approvals for new mines are not expected in the short or medium term, according to the Upper Mining Authority.

The focus is particularly on a lithium deposit in the Osterzgebirge. In the summer, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) described mining as "a project of the highest priority". Lithium is in demand as an important component of electricity storage systems - for example in electric cars.

Lithium mining from 2029 at the earliest

A pre-feasibility study is currently being worked on, the company Zinnwald Lithium announced on request. It is counting on being recognized as a prioritized project under the EU's Critical Raw Materials Act and thus being able to accelerate the approval and licensing process. According to the current timetable, the framework operating plan is expected to be approved in 2027. The construction of the mine could then begin. With a construction period of two years, the production of lithium hydroxide could begin in 2029.

The company Saxore is also sticking to its mining project. In Rittersgrün near Breitenbrunn, it primarily wants to mine tin. New estimates assume a larger deposit than previously assumed. It is estimated to be around 138 million tons of ore - around 30 percent more than previously thought. "The improved resource estimate was achieved primarily thanks to new, extensive data from the Wismut archives," explained Managing Director Matthias Faust. "This outlook will make our future Tellerhäuser mine even more economically attractive."

Mine to produce 3,000 tons of tin per year

The earlier plan to produce the first ton of tin in 2026 is no longer feasible, however. The framework operating plan for the Upper Mining Authority is currently being revised. According to the company, the aim is to mine raw materials using minimally invasive methods in future. The ore is to be processed underground so that no stockpiles are created on the surface. In future, around 3,000 tons of tin are to be extracted in this way every year.