KOKKOLA (AFP) — Finland has launched Europe’s first full-cycle lithium production site, a milestone in the continent’s effort to secure critical raw materials for electric vehicle and electronics manufacturing. The operation in western Finland integrates mining, processing and refining within a 43-kilometer (27-mile) radius.

Lithium, a key component in batteries, is increasingly viewed as a strategic resource, with global supply still dominated by China. The €783 million ($920 million) Syväjärvi open-pit project will produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide for European industry, according to operator Keliber. Officials say it could reduce reliance on imports from Asia and Australia.