The race is on to find a steady source of lithium.
Key component in rechargeable electric car batteries.
Even before the pandemic, alarm was mounting about sourcing lithium.
Almost every ounce of battery-grade lithium is imported to U.S. & Europe.
Lithium is mainly sourced from either spodumene or brine
But while there is Global focuses on emissions, Lithium mining sources limited.
Lithium gold rush threatens environmental damage on an industrial scale.
Half (55%) of global lithium production last year originated in Australia.
Lithium is a key active material in the rechargeable batteries.
Found in rock and clay deposits as a solid mineral, as well as dissolved in brine.
Popular with battery manufacturers – Stores a lot of energy for its weight.
Lithium carbonate & lithium hydroxide are 2 compounds employed for battery cathode production.
European Union has set goal of reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions by 55%.
The U.S. goal prompts the urgency of getting a lithium supply unleashed in a mining boom.
Race for “white oil” threatens to cause damage to the natural environment.
Efforts to drive down emissions puts mining companies on side of sound environmental policy.
Production battery metal to triple by 2025 to more than 1.5 M metric tons,.
Experts say present situation is short term, with demand for higher-quality grades set to recover
Initial calculations indicated that sources may have 280,000 of lithium.
That’s enough for 10 years’ of production
Lithium supply is set to triple by 2025. Will it be enough? –“Lithium supply is set to triple by 2025. Will it be enough?” –
“The curse of ‘white oil’: electric vehicles’ dirty secret” – https://www.theguardian.com/us