EPO granted patent EP4108633A1 to Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. for a method of producing lithium hydroxide, a critical precursor for lithium-ion battery cathode materials. The patent covers chemical processes involving IPC classifications C01D 15/02, C01D 15/04, C25B 1/16, and H01M 4/505. Protection extends to 44 designated EU and EEA contracting states including Germany, France, and the UK.

This is a patent publication, not a regulatory requirement. No compliance actions are needed from other market participants. Companies developing competing lithium extraction or hydroxide production processes should review this patent to ensure freedom to operate. The patent does not impose obligations on third parties—it merely establishes Sumitomo Metal Mining's intellectual property rights in the specified territories.