Lithium exploration permit in the Limagne granted to 2Gré

A decree dated July 31, 2026, published in the Official Journal of the French Republic No. 0199 on August 27, 2026, grants the simplified joint-stock company 2Gré (SIREN 529 770 646) an exclusive lithium mining exploration permit known as the “Bassin de Limagne.” The text, referenced as NOR ECOR2617123A, originates from the Ministry of Economy, Finance, and Industrial, Energy, and Digital Sovereignty.

The permit covers an area of 442.68 km² in the department of Puy-de-Dôme, for a duration of five years starting from the publication of the decree. It is accompanied by a financial commitment of 11,950,000 euros in expenditures dedicated to exploration.

A perimeter at the heart of the Limagne plain

The permit extends over all or part of the territories of 66 municipalities in Puy-de-Dôme, including the main urban areas of the Clermont metropolitan area. These notably include:

• Clermont-Ferrand, Riom, and Volvic;
• Chamalières, Cournon-d’Auvergne, Pont-du-Château, and Gerzat;
• Châtel-Guyon, Mozac, Enval, and Sayat;
• as well as numerous rural municipalities of the Limagne plain, from Artonne to Yssac-la-Tourette.

The perimeter is delimited by seven peaks (A to G) defined by their geodetic coordinates in the RGF 93 – Lambert 93 reference system, framing a territory ranging from the outskirts of Clermont-Ferrand to the vicinity of the Morge.

A reinforced environmental specification

The granting of the permit is subject to compliance with the specifications provided for in III of Article L. 114-3 of the Mining Code, annexed to the decree. The permit holder must notably establish, prior to any project likely to have significant environmental impacts and no later than within six months, a program for identifying and monitoring the impacts of the exploration and exploitation phases.

This mechanism includes, at a minimum:

• seismic monitoring;
• monitoring of groundwater and surface water;
• monitoring of radioactivity levels likely to be encountered in geothermal brines.

Appropriate criteria, indicators, and monitoring procedures must be established and periodically updated.

A notification and publicity procedure

The decree will be notified to the company 2Gré by the Prefect of Puy-de-Dôme, who will ensure that an extract is:

• posted at the department’s prefecture;
• published in the collection of administrative acts and on the website of the State services in the department;
• published, at the holder’s expense, in a national, regional, or local newspaper whose circulation extends to the entire area covered by the title.

A step toward French mining sovereignty

This grant is part of the national strategy for the supply of critical metals, as lithium is an essential component of electric vehicle batteries and energy storage. By opening the search for this mineral in the Auvergne subsoil, the State entrusts 2Gré with the exploration of a potential deposit in the heart of the territory, with a spending commitment of nearly 12 million euros over five years. For the inhabitants of the Limagne plain, this decision heralds prospecting work and reinforced environmental monitoring, in a context where the balance between mining development and the protection of local resources will be decisive.

Source: Official Journal of the French Republic, No. 0199 of August 27, 2026 — Decree of July 31, 2026 granting an exclusive lithium mine research permit, known as “Bassin de Limagne,” to the company 2Gré (Puy-de-Dôme department), NOR ECOR2617123A.