Around the world, lithium mining practices are under scrutiny, especially in the salt flats of Argentina and Chile where more than half the world’s lithium resources are located. Locals of these areas have observed an increase in droughts and suspect that lithium mining is behind it since brine is pumped from below the surface of […]
How does the world plan to lower its dependence on China’s rare earths supply?
What do electric cars, wind turbines, air conditioners, LED lighting, smartphones, and jet engines have in common? They all require rare earth metals and alloys in their manufacturing. Rare earth metals include yttrium and a group of 15 elements known as the Lanthanide series. These metals have similar properties but vary in applications (Exhibit 1). […]
Will Class I nickel supply suffice for EV batteries demand?
Nickel is a critical mineral with ~70% of current demand being dominated by stainless steel followed by 25% for manufacture of alloys, special steels, and coatings, and 5% for electric batteries. While demand from stainless steel and alloys will likely remain robust in the medium-term, significant demand growth is expected to arise from nickel’s application […]
Can critical minerals sustain the Energy Transition?
Clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles (EVs), batteries, and energy storage as well as clean power generation will grow dramatically over the next decade driving demand for critical minerals such as copper, nickel, cobalt, lithium, manganese, graphite, and rare earths elements (REEs). Hence, adequate supply of critical minerals is crucial for the growth and […]
Can lithium-ion batteries supercharge manganese growth?
Approximately 85% to 90% of manganese ore is used in the production of additives for mostly the iron and steel industry. Manganese adds strength and toughness to iron and ferro-manganese and silico-manganese additives are used for their sulfur fixing and deoxidizing properties. Whilst the iron and steel industry certainly have a grip on manganese demand, […]
How will the cobalt market be impacted by cobalt-free batteries?
Lithium-ion batteries are used everywhere, but what does that have to do with cobalt? A lot. In fact, lithium-ion batteries accounted for 57% of the total cobalt demand in 2020. One-fifth of the material in a typical lithium-ion cathode is cobalt, and battery manufactures heavily use it due to its boosting effect in battery charge […]
Will copper supply be able to meet future demand?
Copper is an important metal that we heavily rely on for power, lighting, heating, communications, and more. It conducts both heat and electricity very well, and it can be formed and stretched into complex surfaces without breaking due to its high ductility and malleability. These physical properties make copper highly favorable for electrical equipment and […]
Managing critical mineral supply for the energy transition
Critical minerals are metals and non-metals that are considered vital for the economy and whose supply may be disrupted due to various factors such as supply scarcity, geopolitical risk, environmental factors, recycling potential, and trade policy. Rare earth elements (REEs), lithium, copper, cobalt, nickel, and platinum group metals (PGMs) have become critical minerals as they […]
