Cobalt, Critical, Strategic and Rare Earth Minerals and Metals – Page 45

Charlie Angus’ new book a reflection on rough, complex history of Cobalt, Ont. (CBC News Sudbury – February 6, 2022)

February 7, 2022

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/

Town was ‘somewhere between a squatter’s camp and elegant cosmopolitan power’ Angus says

The rich, colourful history of Cobalt, Ontario is the subject of Charlie Angus’ new book Cobalt: Cradle of the Demon Metals, Birth of a Mining Superpower. In it, Angus traces Cobalt’s history– the community was one of Canada’s first boomtowns– and the eccentric characters who dotted its landscape .

“There was a great description of Cobalt in 1909,” Angus said. “It looked somewhat like a cross between a wild west town and a medieval slum.” The town had its own banks, theatres and bordellos, Angus said, and even had a stock exchange long before Vancouver or Toronto.

Demand is suddenly soaring for electric vehicle batteries. Can Canada seize the moment? – by Alex Ballingall (Toronto Star – January 30, 2022)

January 31, 2022

https://www.thestar.com/

“It’s still a question mark as to whether these economic opportunities will be realized,” said one expert.

OTTAWA — Business is business, but it’s not Jamie Deith’s dream to sell his precious graphite to China.

The crystalline carbon mineral is among those required for electric vehicle batteries, a 21st-century technology that is sparking what some call a “global arms race” for supplies, refining capacity and manufacturing. But Canada, despite the federal government’s grand vision to get a piece of the action, is still standing on the sidelines of this exploding global industry.

The dark side of Cobalt, the digital age’s miracle metal – by Charlie Angus (Toronto Star – January 30, 2022)

January 31, 2022

https://www.thestar.com/

Charlie Angus looks at lessons from an early 20th-century mining rush. An excerpt from the new book by the New Democrat MP for Timmins—James Bay, “Cobalt: Cradle of the Demon Metals, Birth of a Mining Superpower.”

The world is searching for cobalt, the miracle ingredient of the digital age. The metal’s capacity to store energy and stabilize conductors has made possible the proliferation of rechargeable batteries, smartphones and laptops. More crucially, in the face of catastrophic climate change, cobalt offers the hope of a clean-energy future.

Let China squander its money on critical minerals. It doesn’t make sense for Canada to – by David Olive (Toronto Star – January 27, 2022)

January 31, 2022

https://www.thestar.com/

It is, on the face of it, an attractive proposition. Canada becomes a global powerhouse in the production of the critical minerals used in electric vehicles (EVs), smartphones, solar panels, and other means of achieving a decarbonized world.

Demand for those critical minerals and metals, including cobalt, lithium, graphite and nickel sulphate, is poised to skyrocket. Such a project, much discussed in Ottawa these days, could give Canada greater geopolitical clout. It also appeals to our “own the podium” quest to achieve world leadership.

RANKED: Top 20 EVs of 2021 – costs jump as lithium, cobalt, nickel prices surge – by Frik Els (Mining.com – January 13, 2022)

January 26, 2022

https://www.mining.com/

Ranking of world’s 20 best selling electric cars and their battery metals show automakers grappling with soaring raw material prices

Sales of battery electric cars and plug-in hybrids are set to double in China this year and reach 5 million units in the world’s top auto market. In Europe, EVs have overtaken sales of diesel-powered vehicles for the first time ever, and now account for one out of every five cars driving off lots.

In North America last year, unit sales were 87% ahead of 2020 and will accelerate again this year, with the launch of all electric pick-up (and perhaps cyber) trucks.

OPINION: Canada has a strategy for a critical minerals. But there are some critical issues – The Editorial Board (Globe and Mail – January 25, 2022)

January 25, 2022January 25, 2022

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

Canada has big ambitions in clean technology – to become “a world leader” in critical minerals and batteries, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in December. The goal, however, exists mostly on paper. Canada is barely out of the starting blocks. There’s ambition, but it doesn’t always jibe with actions.

An important agreement was struck between Canada and the United States in early 2020. The U.S. had a list of 35 minerals it deemed “critical to economic and national security.”

Political instability in the DRC may affect global battery supply chain – report – by Staff (Mining.com – January 20, 2022)

January 21, 2022

https://www.mining.com/

A new report by Fitch Solutions states that the increased risk of instability between the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s cabinet and parliament could add pressure to the global battery supply chain over the next few quarters.

The African country is responsible for the lion’s share of the global cobalt output, which added up to around 68% of global cobalt production in 2020.

NEO Performance Materials chief Constantine Karayannopoulos on the importance of those rare earth elements found at the bottom of the periodic table – by Howard Green (Toronto Star – January 20, 2022)

January 21, 2022

https://www.thestar.com/

How well do you remember your periodic table from chemistry class? If you’re like me, not very well. What stumps me in particular are 17 elements called rare earths with names such as erbium, cerium and lanthanum.

As we move toward a greener economy, these elements are crucial if we want more electric vehicles, wind turbines and other green machines. At the moment, most of the world’s supply of rare earths comes from China. Recently, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indicated he wants to protect our rare earth deposits from foreign takeovers.

China’s rare earth metal monopoly is a threat to the US – by Sean Durns (Washington Examiner – January 21, 2022)

January 21, 2022

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/

China’s monopoly on rare earth minerals is a danger to the United States. Newly proposed legislation, however, seeks to circumvent that threat.

The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare how dependent the U.S. is on Chinese manufacturing and goods, including what are termed “rare earths,” a group of metals used to make magnets found in electronics, weaponry, and vehicles.

Rep. James Comer wants info on Hunter Biden’s ties to Chinese mine sale – by Juliegrace Brufke (New York Post – January 19, 2022)

January 20, 2022

https://nypost.com/

The leading Republican on the House Oversight Committee is calling on the National Archives to release any information it has related to Hunter Biden’s alleged involvement in the sale of an African cobalt mine to a Chinese company in 2016.

In a letter to Archivist David Ferriero Wednesday, Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) requested any documents pertaining to the first son’s potential role in the transaction, arguing the sale posed a potential national security threat by undermining the United States’ capacity to invest in green energy. Cobalt is a key component in electric car batteries.

EXCLUSIVE U.S. bill would block defense contractors from using Chinese rare earths – by Ernest Scheyder (Reuters – January 14, 2022)

January 18, 2022

https://www.reuters.com/

Jan 14 (Reuters) – A bipartisan piece of legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate on Friday would force defense contractors to stop buying rare earths from China by 2026 and use the Pentagon to create a permanent stockpile of the strategic minerals.

The bill, sponsored by Senators Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, and Mark Kelly, an Arizona Democrat, is the latest in a string of U.S. legislation seeking to thwart China’s near control over the sector.

Recycling plant aims to turn US coal country into rare earth powerhouse – by Amanda Stutt (Mining.com – January 14, 2022)

January 14, 2022

https://www.mining.com/

This week, HG Ventures, an investment arm of The Heritage Group, and American Rare Earth LLC, a subsidiary of the American Resources Corporation (NASDAQ: AREC), announced they are teaming up to scale up the recycling of batteries, magnets and e-waste with the goal of recovering and supplying critical minerals and rare earth metals to US and global markets.

Mining rare earths, essential elements to realizing an electrified economy, can be challenging as materials needed are either not yet mined, or are latent, stranded, for example, in old coal mines – environmental legacy liabilities spread all over North America.

China And Russia Make Critical Mineral Grabs in Africa While the U.S. Snoozes – by Ariel Cohen (Forbes Magazine – January 13, 2022)

January 14, 2022

https://www.forbes.com/

Countries across the globe are pursuing zero-emission goals, which have created a bottleneck of critical rare earth elements (REE) such as cobalt, copper, and lithium. These are essential components in producing renewable energy technology, from electric vehicle batteries to wind turbine blades. REEs also play a key role in manufacturing semiconductors and other electronics.

Access to these resources – both in raw and refined forms – has never been more important. Much like oil was throughout the 20th century, critical minerals are the primary inputs of future economic growth. Governments and private companies are increasingly acknowledging this, resulting in a global “gold rush” for these strategic minerals.

The Drift: Temiskaming battery metals park should fill missing link in electric vehicle battery supply chain – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – December 28, 2021)

January 10, 2022

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Electra Battery Materials’ integrated metals processing complex could bring 200 to 300 jobs

Trent Mell and Electra Battery Materials are out to occupy some crucial middle ground in the growing North American electric vehicle industry.

The Toronto company is refurbishing a once-shuttered refinery outside the town of Cobalt that’s 12 months away from the start of production to process cobalt hydroxide coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo into cobalt sulfate, one of the critical materials needed for manufacturing rechargeable batteries for the automakers. But they’re not stopping there.

Ottawa’s Goal of a World-Leading Battery Supply Chain Faces Daunting Realities Including China – by Rahul Vaidyanath (Epoch Times – January 5, 2022)

January 10, 2022

https://www.theepochtimes.com/

Mining CEO suggests feds serve key role as buyer to establish a critical minerals stockpile

Ottawa sees a massive economic opportunity in creating a battery value chain for green energy and electric vehicles (EVs). Canada has a lot of what’s needed to gain a competitive advantage in this supply chain—the natural resources as well as research and industry expertise.

Still, it has a long way to go to overcome challenges including domestic development of the required critical minerals, which are mainly controlled by China, two mining CEOs say.