How can geothermal energy and critical raw materials such as lithium be assessed together within a single project? A new CRM-geothermal factsheet explores how the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) provides a common approach for evaluating these integrated resource systems.
Unlike traditional mineral reporting standards, which focus solely on mineral resources, the UNFC enables the joint assessment of geothermal energy and critical raw materials while considering technological maturity, economic viability, environmental and social aspects, and policy constraints. This makes it particularly well-suited for projects where multiple resources are produced from the same geothermal system.
The factsheet highlights why joint resource calculation is especially important for geothermal brines, where lithium production depends on changing flow rates, fluid chemistry, and reservoir behaviour over time. It also discusses the specific challenges of modelling fluid-based extraction systems and explains why kinetic processes and hydrodynamic modelling play a key role in reliable resource estimation.
In addition, the publication outlines the strategic benefits of applying the UNFC framework to integrated geothermal projects, including:
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a harmonised approach to assessing geothermal energy and critical raw materials;
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support for strategic planning aligned with European climate and raw materials objectives;
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improved risk management through the integration of environmental, social, governance, technical, and economic considerations; and
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greater transparency for investors through a common reporting framework for multi-resource developments.
The factsheet also presents the methodology used for joint resource calculation under the UNFC, explaining how technical, environmental, and economic factors are evaluated together and how advances in reservoir modelling, machine learning, and artificial intelligence could further improve future assessments.
Consult the full factsheet here: https://crm-geothermal.eu/go/factsheet-unfc
