Battery metals are those metals most commonly used in the manufacture of batteries. As technology and battery formulations evolve, so does the list of “core” battery metals. For example, electric vehicle (EV) batteries’ core components today would be Lithium, Cobalt, Graphite, Manganese and Nickel, but other metals such as Vanadium, Zinc, Magnesium, Copper and Aluminium play important and expanding/evolving roles, especially in other energy storage applications.
As the world looks to reduce carbon dioxide emissions through decarbonization, the battery industry has taken a primary role. The explosive growth of the industry is largely being driven by two areas that hold the greatest potential for overall reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions - the electrification of transportation and the adoption of intermittent renewable energy (which creates a corresponding need for grid level storage solutions).
However, the carbon footprint of battery production is not insignificant. On the transportation side, it is commonly accepted that the production of an EV is currently more carbon intensive generally than the production of a traditional combustion engine vehicle and that the net carbon benefit of an EV is only realized over its lifecycle (incorporating its use phases). As the integration of batteries into our lives increases, the focus will be on trying to reduce the carbon footprint inherent in the production phase (including mining) and on ensuring that the electricity used to charge the batteries is generated using low carbon power sources.
The lithium-ion technology that is currently the most pervasive in EVs may also not be the best fit for all applications. Flow batteries, for example, may be a better overall solution for grid level storage. In particular, vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) are ideal for long use with no degradation in the electrolyte over the useful life of the battery and, following the useful life of the battery, the electrolyte can be readily used in another battery system or the contained vanadium can be readily separated from the electrolyte and used in other applications. This is a challenge with lithium-ion battery systems where the electrolyte degrades over use and is required to be replenished over the course of the same useful life. In addition, the electrolyte in a VRFB is neither flammable, nor explosive - as a result of its high water content – which as you scale to grid size storage offers increased operational safety compared to the lithium ion systems. All of this results in an overall safer and greener alternative for grid applications.
Environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) is also a major concern with battery metals and, in particular, for cobalt where a significant proportion of the world’s cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo and from companies/producers that do not necessarily adhere to global standards and best practices. However, following a number of major incidents – most notably the Brumadinho dam disaster in Brazil – ESG in mining has been a very public and growing area of focus globally for companies of all sizes. That being said, most Canadian mining companies are good corporate and global citizens and are working hard to be both sustainable and profitable – looking to find ways to benefit the communities in which they operate, maintain the environment and still produce the commodities we need to electrify the world.
Battery Powered: Specialty metal mining and the future of tech, our economy & the environment - Lexpert
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