Charging forward

• Autores: Myles McCormick
• Localización: Industrial Minerals, ISSN 0019-8544, Nº. 591, 2017 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Marzo)
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • Two months after the production cogs began to churn out battery cells at Tesla's 'Gigafactory', Myles McCormick, Reporter, investigates the arrival of lithium-ion battery megafactories, the hurdles they face and their significance for raw material demand. [...]sprawled across the remote, arid plains of Nevada's Great Basin, a construction project of 5.8m square feet is set to become the largest building on the planet by footprint and produce nearly as much lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery cells as the rest of the entire world's current output combined, according to its owner. Li-ion Production Increase 2016-2020 Source: Lux Research Inc. That said, as Jon Hykawy of Stormcrow Capital notes, "this is tempered by the growing realisation in China that their slightly rickety and highly-polluting electricity grid may not be served well by slapping millions of rechargeable vehicles into the mix". Mineral mania Moving upstream, and perhaps most relevant from the point of view of a mining-focused publication, is what this means for raw materials involved in Li-ion battery production. Lithium-ion global manufacturing capacity Source: BNEF "Obviously the demand for lithium, cobalt, and graphite will increase," says Chris Berry, founder of House Mountain Partners LLC. "When you look at the sheer number of OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] electrifying their fleets between now and 2025, one new lithium mine per year will be required and by 2025 and just the battery business alone could consume today's entire global production of cobalt chemicals," he adds. Global bank Citigroup predicts a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in demand...