Battery Technology Innovation/Electric Vehicles – Page 57

Column: LME stays Russian metal ban with views starkly split – by Andy Home (Reuters – November 15, 2022)

November 15, 2022

https://www.reuters.com/

LONDON, Nov 15 (Reuters) – The London Metal Exchange (LME) has announced it will continue accepting Russian metal as good delivery against its industrial metal contracts, for now at least.

It made the decision knowing “it is likely that additional tonnages of Russian metal will – in time, if not immediately – be warranted in the LME physical network.” That brings with it the risk of LME pricing moving from a global to a Russian benchmark, creating a disconnect between paper and physical markets.

U.S. military weighs funding mining projects in Canada amid rivalry with China – by Alexander Panetta (CBC News World – November 13, 2022)

November 13, 2022

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/

Canadian companies told they qualify under Defense Production Act

The United States military has been quietly soliciting applications for Canadian mining projects that want American public funding through a major national security initiative.

It’s part of an increasingly urgent priority of the U.S. government: lessening dependence on China for critical minerals that are vital in everything from civilian goods such as electronics, cars and batteries, to weapons.

Canada draws a line on critical minerals, but leaves unanswered questions – by Alisha Hiyate (Northern Miner – November 2, 2022)

November 10, 2022

https://www.northernminer.com/

Less than a year after the federal government approved the takeover of Neo Lithium by China’s Zijin Mining without a full national security review under the Canada Investment Act, it has signalled an entirely new approach to Chinese investment in Canada’s critical minerals sector.

The Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, François-Philippe Champagne and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson issued new guidelines on Oct. 28 regarding foreign investment in the sector, which is key to Canada’s competitiveness in a future low-carbon global economy. Had they been in place at the time of the Neo Lithium takeover, which closed in January this year, it’s probable — if not 100% certain — that the deal would have been rejected.

Canada deals itself a blow in cutting China out of critical minerals – by David Olive (Toronto Star – November 10, 2022)

November 10, 2022

https://www.thestar.com/

Ottawa has just shown tangible resolve in declaring Canada off-limits to Chinese ownership of Canadian critical minerals. These are minerals essential to the production of electric vehicles (EVs), cellphones, laptop computers, and power from alternative energy technologies.

It’s by no means certain that this recent prohibition is in Canada’s interests. More on that later. Last week, Ottawa ordered Chinese companies to divest their ownership in three junior mining firms based in Canada. The firms plan to develop lithium deposits in Canada, Argentina and Chile.

Global action on mineral supplies needed to meet net zero goals – by Colin Packham (Australian Financial Review – July 13, 2022)

November 10, 2022

https://www.afr.com/

Global action is needed to ensure there are sufficient supplies of minerals required to build renewable energy generation assets, the vice chairman of S&P Global and energy markets expert Daniel Yergin has warned, because without them the cost of zero emission projects will soar.

Mr Yergin said that while the goal of reaching net zero by 2050 or earlier is clear, there remains significant uncertainty about how countries will achieve this, and less clarity still on the volume of minerals and materials that will be needed to build assets such as solar panels and wind turbines.

Juniors consider legal options after Chinese divestment order – by Nelson Bennett (Business In Vancouver – November 7, 2022)

November 9, 2022November 9, 2022

https://biv.com/

Lithium exploration companies react to Canada ordering Chinese investors out

A junior exploration company in the critical minerals space says it is considering its legal options in response to the Canadian government ordering one of its investors to divest from the company.

Ultra Lithium Inc. (TSX-V: ULT) is one of two B.C.-headquartered companies that has Chinese investors ordered to divest their equity positions in the Canadian companies, based on national security concerns over control over critical minerals.

US lithium mining: not if, but when – by Elle Farrell-Kingsley (Automotive World – November 8, 2022)

November 9, 2022November 9, 2022

Home

As electric vehicle (EV) demand surges so too will lithium battery usage. The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) forecasts that the global semiconductor industry will increase manufacturing capacity by 56% in the next decade.

This expansion is driven by the worldwide boom in EV sales, with 23 million electric passenger vehicles expected to be produced by 2030, says a report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Furthermore, the worldwide market of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, the most common rechargeable car battery, was estimated at US$7bn in 2018 and is expected to reach US$58.8bn by 2024—significant growth.

The Mining Gap: Critical Minerals and Geopolitical Competition – by Gregory Brew and Morgan Bazilian (Just Security – November 7, 2022)

November 7, 2022

https://www.justsecurity.org/

This week, world leaders are gathering in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt for COP27, the 27th annual United Nations conference on climate change. This year’s conference carries with it the weight of the climate challenge, an enormous threat facing humanity, but also comes at a time of growing volatility in global energy markets, rising energy prices, a food security crisis, and war.

As a result, countries both rich and poor will be focused on immediate security and economic threats. While Russia’s war in Ukraine has convinced policymakers of the necessity of divesting from volatile oil markets, the lack of readily available raw materials and supply chain issues continue to impede rapid transitions toward clean energy.

Ontario-focused Frontier Lithium aspires to become Canada’s ‘lithium champion’ – by Henry Lazenby (Northern Miner – November 7, 2022)

November 7, 2022November 7, 2022

https://www.northernminer.com/

Frontier Lithium (TSXV: FL; US-OTC: LITOF) reports progress towards completing a resource update and prefeasibility study for its PAK project in northwestern Ontario by the first quarter of 2023. The prospective lithium pegmatite project is 170 km north of the famed Red Lake Gold Camp in an emerging lithium mineral district in the Canadian Shield dubbed the ‘Electric Avenue.’

Having already outlined one of the largest and highest grade spodumene resources in North America, the project has the potential to crystalize the vision of Frontier becoming Canada’s ‘lithium champion,’ as owner, president and CEO Trevor Walker tells The Northern Miner in an interview.

Column-Canada slams the door on China in critical minerals race – by Andy Home (Reuters – November 4, 2022)

November 7, 2022

https://www.reuters.com/

The Canadian government this week ordered Chinese companies to divest their holdings in three Canadian-listed junior mining companies planning to develop lithium deposits.

The ban comes within days of Canada announcing a tougher policy on investment in the minerals sector by state-owned entities, particularly those from China, which dominates the processing of key energy transition metals such as lithium, cobalt and rare earths.

Cochrane-area cesium explorer willing to stand its ground against Ottawa – by Staff (Northern Ontario Business – November 4, 2022)

November 4, 2022

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Power Metals and Hong Kong partner plan to appeal federal divestment order

A junior miner searching for cesium and lithium in northeastern Ontario said its Hong Kong financing partner intends to appeal a Canadian government order to pull its investment from the critical minerals exploration project.

In the meantime, it’s business as usual Power Metals said of its ongoing exploration drilling at its Case Lake Project site, 80 kilometres east of Cochrane, near the border with Quebec.

Federal government’s economic update includes mining natural resources to fuel green economy – by Lindsay Richardson (APTN News – November 3, 2022)

November 4, 2022November 4, 2022

https://www.aptnnews.ca/

Canada is officially moving from “rebalancing” to “rebuilding” post-COVID-19, according to Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and mining natural resources will play a significant role in making it happen.

During the reveal of Canada’s Fall Economic Statement (FES), Freeland told the House of Commons the next few years will be a “historic” opportunity for Canada to build an economy that “works for everyone.”

Beijing accuses Canada of ‘suppressing Chinese companies’ – by Steve Chase and Niall McGee (Globe and Mail – November 4, 2022)

November 4, 2022November 4, 2022

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

Beijing is accusing Canada of “suppressing Chinese companies” by forcing three of its state-controlled corporations to sell their stakes in Canadian critical minerals businesses.

On Wednesday, Ottawa ordered Chinese state-owned companies to immediately divest their interests in three Canadian critical minerals companies. The federal government had faced an avalanche of criticism earlier this year for allowing too much investment from the Asian superpower in Canada’s domestic mining sector.

For Latin America, Will Booming Lithium Bring Competition—or Collaboration? – by David Feliba (Americas Quarterly – November 2, 2022)

November 3, 2022

Americas Quarterly

Increasing global demand for the mineral could benefit countries with the world’s largest reserves.

BUENOS AIRES – Nearly 55% of the world’s lithium deposits lie in Latin America’s lithium triangle, the swath of territory encompassing Chile’s and Argentina’s northern regions and Bolivia’s southwest.

But as hopes of a windfall from increased electric vehicle production rise, anxieties are rising too over which country will come out on top—or whether cooperation between the three can help secure more advantageous deals.

Indonesia considers Opec-style cartel for battery metals – by Harry Dempsey in London and Mercedes Ruehl in Singapore (Financial Times – October 20, 2022)

October 31, 2022

https://www.ft.com/

World’s largest nickel producer exploring governance structure similar to that used by oil group

Indonesia is studying the establishment of an Opec-like cartel for nickel and other key battery metals, highlighting the geopolitical confidence of nations that are rich in resources needed to make electric cars.

Bahlil Lahadalia, the country’s investment minister, said Jakarta was looking at mechanisms similar to those used by Opec, the group of 13 oil-producing nations, that could be employed in the supply of metals that are central to the energy transition.