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EU policy tailwinds strengthening Cinovec

The EU has launched the new RESourceEU Action Plan, which accelerates delivery of the Critical Raw Materials Act. The focus is on fast‑tracking strategic mining and processing projects, cutting permitting times, coordinating funding, and securing long‑term offtake for critical materials like lithium.

Key measures include priority project status, streamlined approvals, a new European Critical Raw Materials Centre (from 2026) to help de‑risk investment, and stronger support for EU‑based supply chains. The clear aim is to reduce reliance on non‑EU suppliers and bring projects into production faster.

For Cinovec, this is highly supportive: it’s a large, advanced, EU‑located lithium resource aligned exactly with the materials and timelines Brussels is now prioritising. Policy momentum is increasingly about delivery – and projects like Cinovec stand to benefit most as Europe speeds up execution.

In other words . . . the EU is going to drive this on fast forward speed !!!

https://www.gleis****z.com/en/know-how/eu-resourceeu-action-plan-what-it-means-investors-and-industry

& don’t forget size matters, Cinovec is approximately 1.84 times bigger than the five next in size projects combined (or roughly 84% larger than their total).

#win

@Jemesa well explained!

Do not let them get your shares cheap folks . . . especially you fellow LTHs, its INBOUND :)

Its looking very good @Sid_fiddler69

Given the available RNSs and current trading data, your interpretation is justified:

-The share price has crashed, the RNS reflects a company in a weak and reactive state, enormous dilution with minimal capital raised is a major red flag, governance concerns and confusing financial structures amplify investor alarm

The importance of the statement "Large 3.2 Mtpa (easily expandable)" cannot be highlighted enough. Once this is running and the EUs dependency grows substantially, the facility will be upgraded for higher processing output

@sporazene spot on there. Im expecting (and hoping of course) that EIA returns in quick turn around due to EU pressures.

FEED will then be a go. Its getting very close to a great reality now. 2026 is going to be a great year

Have to agree there @bob_triples

lets hope with Greenland being taken away from the EU sights, their need to stop being Chinas Biitch and their red faces will hopefully force their hand

GET MOVING :)

President Ursula von der Leyen officially announced the EU–INC today at Davos!

A single legal entity for all European founders to grow massive companies in Europe. Online incorporation in 48 hours. No more bureaucratic mess across European borders.

what of EU–INC and CRMA Benefits, a single EU-wide entity like EU–INC would particularly help innovative players around Cinovec—e.g., junior explorers, tech firms developing by-product recovery (tin/tungsten), or downstream processors scaling pan-EU. It wouldn't speed up Cinovec's core mining permits (still national/EIA-heavy), but it could ease cross-border funding, partnerships, and operations for the ecosystem building around Europe's biggest lithium asset. With CRMA incentives already in play here (fast-track + finance), Cinovec is one of the most realistic and critical near-term wins for reducing EU lithium import dependency.

NOW — Jan 2026

DFS for the Cínovec published on 23 December 2025, confirming a 26+ year mine life and steady‑state production of 37,500 tonnes per year of battery‑grade lithium carbonate with strong project economics.

The full EIA was formally submitted on 31 December 2025, completing the required two‑stage process and meeting EU Just Transition Fund compliance. Cínovec has been designated a Strategic Project under the EU CRMA and classified by the Czech government as a Strategic Deposit, both of which accelerate and streamline the permitting process

→ Project now entering the final permitting phase.

Q1 2026 (Feb–Mar 2026)

EIA Review & Public Consultation, ministry begins formal review of the full EIA; public consultation expected “early 2026.”

Outcome: EIA progresses through technical reviews and consultation.

Q2 2026 (Apr–Jun 2026)

EIA Approved & JTF requirements met, given CRMA fast‑tracking + Czech strategic designation, approval is likely before June (possibly earlier).

Outcome: EIA approved, unlocks full funding access, clears path to final permitting (mining area consolidation)

Q3 2026 (Jul–Sep 2026)

Final Investment Decision (FID)

With DFS done, EIA approved, and grants secured (up to €360M Czech + €36M EU JTF), the project is fully prepared for FID.

Outcome: FID achieved (likely Q3 2026), begin Early Works, site prep at the Prunerov EPR1 processing plant site begins, access preparation, utilities, geotechnical prep start.

Q3 2026 – Q4 2027

Construction Phase (Mine + Processing Plant)

What happens : underground twin declines developed, ventilation, support, underground services, processing plant construction at EPR1, flotation circuit + hydromet line installation, tailings + backfill systems installed, workforce surge.

Offtake agreements executed to support financing (likely in parallel)

Basis for duration: DFS defines extensive mine/plant development with ~2‑year build time.

Outcome: major build-out spanning ~24 months, mechanical completion achieved and Pre-Commissioning of systems ongoing Q4 2027

Q1–Q3 2028 - Dynamic Commissioning Phase

Activities: commissioning of underground mine systems, concentrator, hydrometallurgical plant producing Li₂CO₃.

First low-volume trial batches and process optimisation

Outcome: Operational readiness achieved and Ramp-up to commercial production begins

Q4 2028 – Q1 2029 - FIRST LITHIUM SHIPMENT of battery-grade lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃) leaves the Cínovec processing plant.

@Jemesa really well put. The DFS numbers speak for themselves, and it’s amazing how many people still focus on the headline capex without understanding the scale of the asset it builds or the funding structure behind it.

What matters is the engine, not the fuel bill — and Cinovec is an engine designed to run for decades.

A project generating ~$500m EBITDA per year on very conservative assumptions, with grants covering a huge chunk of capex and low‑cost strategic financing on the rest, is exactly the kind of asset governments and OEMs fight to secure.

This is the EU's 'absolute must' propel forward in terms of critical assets/projects.

Cinovec is the only way the EU can hit its aspirations on Li targets.

The EIA decision will no doubt come back much quicker than anticipated and it'll be a big offtake before end of Q2

The USA push to secure global minerals has the EU quaking, especially after they've committed so much to removing Chinese reliance.

Hold the line folks, great trajectory inbound :)

Why last second on a Friday, very odd ?!?!

Can't disagree with that J

Its certainly a fascinating possibility, hopefully it'll come to the forefront

It just makes me laugh how, people could even consider that world leaders, and people like Musk (who's just completed his record timeframe build/commissioning of a new Li mine/owns the biggest Li dependant car maker ) thinking they have more insight than these people in this space.

Just look at who's making moves, controlling the global market and corps. As with oil, the sector will get 1. dominated, 2. monopolised, 3. Rinsed for all it can before anything else is allowed to even whisper of a threat to it.

Jim, your 'enthusiasm' for Donut Lab is across a few LSE threads now, fair play, their CES claims are eye-catching (no Li, ultra-fast charging, massive cycle life) b ut let's stay grounded, governments and companies worldwide (including the US with tesla's new refinery, China, Europe) are racing to lock in Li and other critical minerals right now because Li-ion tech is proven, scalable, and absolutely dominating the market for the foreseeable future. If a true "miracle" battery emerges and scales commercially without issues, great – but history shows most breakthroughs face years of validation, production hurdles, and supply chain realities.

The massive investments in Li supply chains suggest leaders aren't betting on it disappearing overnight.

Awesome showcase by Tesla last night on crushing a lithium refinery project timeline!

What stands out: the record-fast turnaround for a first-of-its-kind industrial-scale facility — groundbreaking in May 2023 → kiln hot commissioning in 2024 → full integrated startup & first production in 2025 — all in ~19-20 months.

Having worked on large capex projects for 15+ years myself (where costly overruns are the norm), this parallel-execution speed is next level. Hopefully Cinovec has a new benchmark and indicator that it 'can be achieved'

Check out the fresh video:

https://youtu.be/rxYTx6aj96k?si=7shsOHyLgMMjdkvy

@Bannor do you think with all mentioned, Li on a northward trajectory and demand increasing again, with all set to continue toward 2030, we could see an MOU for an offtake first, pending EIA etc which will maybe further solidify