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Serbian politicians on Friday blasted environmentalists for forcing them to scuttle Rio Tinto Plc's (RIO.AX), (RIO.L) proposed $2.4 billion lithium project, warning the move could hurt efforts to grow and diversify the Balkan country's economy.

Reuters

Serbian government blasts green groups for scuttling Rio's lithium project

The NEBC Lithium - Formation Water Database is a project that will assess concentrations of lithium in brines in British Columbia’s formations by sampling natural gas and oil wells.

Mining.com

Three organizations partner to explore viability of lithium extraction in British Columbia

NIMS and Softbank Corp. have developed a lithium-air battery with an energy density over 500Wh/kg—significantly higher than that of current lithium ion batteries. The research team then confirmed that this battery can be charged and discharged at room temperature. In addition, the team found that the battery developed by the team shows the highest energy densities and best cycle life performances ever achieved. These results signify a major step toward the practical use of lithium-air batteries.

Tech Xplore

Team develops lithium-air battery with an energy density higher than current lithium ion batteries

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the demand for so-called critical raw materials (CRMs) will increase sevenfold by 2050. The reason for this is that our green, renewable energy technologies require far more metals and other materials than those used to supply fossil energy. The electric cars that carry us from A to B will require six times more minerals than our traditional petrol-driven cars, and the wind power technologies that provide us with renewable electricity will be demanding nine times more of these resources than our gas-fired power plants. And this demand is set to accelerate rapidly in the very near future.

Demand for rare minerals and metals creates eco-dilemma

In today's article, I want to discuss the risks and opportunities of a future that will increasingly rely on lithium.

Forbes

Is A Lithium Cartel Inevitable?

China stepped up its monetary easing efforts to prop up a slowing economy this week by lowering a set of key policy rates and lending benchmarks.

Iron ore price highest in four months on  China stimulus

According to Fitch Solutions increased risk of instability between the DRC’s cabinet and parliament could add pressure to the global battery supply chain.

Political instability in the DRC may affect  global battery supply chain – report

In an effort to reduce dependency on hard-to-source cobalt and Chinese manufacturing, US makers are finally getting into the cathode business.

Wired

The US Inches Toward Building EV Batteries at Home

Magna Mining has an enormous nickel-copper opportunity in the storied Sudbury Mining Basin in Ontario, Canada.

Video interview: Magna Mining on its Shakespeare project’s Ni-Cu opportunity

The Future Minerals Forum recently heard Saudi Arabia is looking to invest its massive capital potential to not only develop its industry, from exploration to downstream battery metal processing.

Key insights from the inaugural Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh

Erin O’Toole has asked the government to conduct a national security review of the proposed takeover of Canada’s Neo Lithium by China’s Zijin Mining.

Canadian Conservative party leader calls for security review of Chinese takeover of Neo Lithium

The company is purchasing the Lac des Iles mine and mill in Quebec and all the outstanding shares of Imerys Group.

Northern Graphite buying two mines, to be third largest producer outside China

Researchers discovered that light could boost the performance of thin lithium battery electrolytes by increasing charging rates.

How light can improve Li-ion battery, fuel cell performance

South32 says it is designing Taylor to be its "next generation mine."

South32’s PFS for Taylor supports ‘multi-decade’ critical metals operation in Arizona

A Chilean appeals court on Friday suspended a million-dollar state lithium tender issued two days earlier that had generated controversy for coming just two months before the end of conservative President Sebastian Pinera's term.

Chile court freezes multi-million dollar lithium deal

A new battery technology could provide a cleaner and cheaper alternative to the toxic chemicals widely used in energy storage devices.

Research focuses on greener alternative to conventional batteries

Ranking of world’s 20 best selling electric cars and the battery metals used in them show automakers grappling with soaring raw material prices.

RANKED: Top 20 EVs of 2021 – costs jump as lithium, cobalt, nickel prices surge

Mining People: American CuMo, FPX Nickel, Iamgold, Nouveau Monde, Western Copper and Gold

The importance of critical minerals to the energy transition and future economic growth is undeniable. Amidst the rising social and environmental costs of mining, less scrupulous countries like Russia and China are capitalizing on soaring demand.

China And Russia Make Critical Mineral Grabs in Africa While the U.S. Snoozes

Phase 1 of the Molo graphite mine is fully funded and, when commissioned, will become one of the few operating graphite mines outside of China.

NextSource shares storm ahead on successful Molo graphite plant testing

Gov't expects $25bn in investments related to 34 projects currently at an advanced exploration stage, as deadline to restructure billions in debt to the IMF looms.

Argentina seeks $10 billion in mining exports by 2030

For electric vehicles (EVs) to become mainstream, they need cost-effective, safer, longer-lasting batteries that won't explode during use or harm the environment. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology may have found a promising alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries made from a common material: rubber.

Rubber material holds key to long-lasting, safer EV batteries

A new biologically inspired battery membrane has enabled a battery with five times the capacity of the industry-standard lithium ion design to run for the thousand-plus cycles needed to power an electric car.

1,000-cycle lithium-sulfur battery could quintuple electric vehicle ranges

According to IDTechEx, electrification is inevitable as is the EV industry’s focus on environmentally friendlier materials and supply chains, and safer products.

EV industry moving in right direction to close gap with internal combustion engines – report

Indigenous communities living around Chile’s Atacama salt flat last year asked authorities to suspend SQM’s operating permits or reduce its operations until it submits an environmental compliance plan acceptable to regulators.

SQM ups ESG commitment with Standard for Responsible Mining audit

Just as the U.S. once lost its dominance of the petroleum industry, it is in the process of doing the same with lithium.

The U.S. Is Losing The Lithium Industry To China

Materials scientists at Duke University have revealed paddlewheel-like molecular dynamics that help push sodium ions through a quickly evolving class of solid-state batteries. The insights should guide researchers in their pursuit of a new generation of sodium-ion batteries to replace lithium-ion technology in a wide range of applications such as data centers and home energy storage.

Molecular paddlewheels propel sodium ions through next-generation batteries

The use of renewable energy systems, such as solar panels, wind turbines, electric cars and hydrogen fuel cells, will minimize greenhouse gas emissions and reduce global warming. But use of these systems has to increase—and they require a lot of metal.

It's not necessary to trash the environment to extract metals needed for renewable energy

The permit satisfies one of the final conditions China’s Zijin Mining needed to acquire the junior exploration company.

Argentina grants environmental clearance for Neo Lithium’s 3Q project

Tesla has committed to purchase 75,000 tonnes of nickel in concentrate from Talon.

Talon Metals stock surges following Tesla supply deal

The project has inferred resources of 8.47 million tonnes grading 0.82% nickel and 0.08% copper.

Wolfden completes resource estimate for Nickel Island deposit in Manitoba

It will invest $40 million in the Kabanga project, regarded as the world’s largest development-ready, high-grade nickel sulphide deposit .

BHP back to Africa with Tanzania nickel investment

The 61 zone’s drill highlights included 0.50 metres grading 2571.53 grams silver per tonne and 0.01% cobalt.

Canada Silver Cobalt Works releases new drill results from Castle project in Ontario

The Canadian miner said its Kamoa-Kakula complex produced 105,884 tonnes of copper concentrate last year, topping guidance.

Ivanhoe Mines to produce 340,000 tonnes of copper at DRC mine in 2022

Refined nickel inventories in ShFE warehouses were last at 4,859 tonnes, close to a record low of 4,455 tonnes hit in August 2021.

Nickel price hit highest in a month with inventories close to record lows

Tesla agrees to buy 75,000 tonnes of nickel with a nominal value of $1.5 billion from Talon Metals-Rio Tinto JV starting in 2026.

Tesla signs $1.5 billion deal for nickel from Talon’s Minnesota project

Inferred resources as calculated last August are 10.9 million tonnes grading 2.5 g/t gold and 443 ppm cobalt.

Mawson receives key decisions for Rajapalot gold-cobalt project in Finland

As the initial drilling program at the Van target winds down, FPX Nickel (TSXV: FPX, OTC: FPOCF) says it has identified a [&#8230;]

FPX Nickel drills large scale, high-grade, near surface Van target, and it’s open

Hollywood's jetset once crowded the shores of the Salton Sea, a then-idyllic southern California playground for the wealthy. Today, it is desolate and depressed—the evaporating water leaving behind dead shellfish, dust and chemicals that irritate the airways.

Renewable: Lithium promises revival for dying California inland sea

According to Fastmarkets, offers for lithium carbonate continue to rise in China, mainly due to the increased demand from the ramp-up of lithium-iron-phosphate battery production.

Chinese LFP battery industry increases lithium carbonate demand, drives prices up – report

A new report provides specifics of lithium-ion (Li-ion) system pricing for four markets with estimates provided for major global regions through 2030.



ESI Africa

Upcoming pricing trends in the lithium-ion energy storage industry

All-solid-state batteries are now one step closer to becoming the powerhouse of next-generation electronics, as researchers from Tokyo Tech, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), and Yamagata University introduce a strategy to restore their low electrical resistance. They also explore the underlying reduction mechanism, paving the way for a more fundamental understanding of the workings of all-solid-state lithium batteries.

Scientists reduce all-solid-state battery resistance by heating

With the long-term goal to realize carbon neutrality, lithium batteries have acquired a growingly central role in the development of human society. The accurate yet efficient prognosis of battery state of health (SOH) remains vital in ensuring a safe and reliable operation. In addition, as the demand to increase battery energy density continues to grow, the development of novel, high-energy-density battery systems such as lithium metal batteries is of paramount significance.

Forecasting capacity degradation of lithium metal batteries using a data-driven approach

US-based researchers found a way to revitalize rechargeable lithium batteries, potentially boosting the range of EVs and battery life in next-gen electronic devices.

Researchers discover resurrection method for ‘dead’ lithium in Li-ion batteries

Energy Trend

Sub-Subsidiary of Gotion Hi-Tech Secures a 200GWh Battery Order from Undisclosed American Carmaker

Politicians have called for a pause in new mining contracts for lithium, which is in high demand for electric car batteries but is at the heart of a debate in Chile over mines, water rights and inequality.

The New York Times

Mining of Lithium, Key to the Climate Fight, Faces New Scrutiny in Chile

Researchers at Bristol have developed high-performance sodium and potassium ion batteries using sustainably sourced cellulose.

Scientists develop a novel strategy for sustainable post-lithium-ion batteries

Lithium metal batteries could store much more charge in a given space than today's lithium-ion batteries, and the race is on to develop them for next-gen electric vehicles, electronics and other uses.

First realistic portraits of squishy layer that's key to battery performance

According to IDTechEx, growing interest in silicon anode technology allowed junior players to obtain $1.9 billion of funding in the last decade.

Silicon anode startups snagged $1.9bn in funding over the past decade – report

Management appointments announced this week include: Alamos Gold named Leon Grondin-Leblanc general manager at the Young-Davidson mine. Luc Guimond was also named [&#8230;]

Mining People: Alamos Gold, Barrick, Foran Mining, Northern Graphite, Nutrien, Osisko Mining, Pure Gold

Battery | Battery Metals

Advanced technologies are critical to stopping climate change—and the drive to develop and scale them is accelerating. Here are five themes that could attract $2 trillion of annual investment by 2025.

McKinsey & Company

Innovating to net zero: An executive’s guide to climate technology

More than a quarter of the UK's car market is now electrified in some form, with the sale of new petrol and diesel cars scheduled to end by 2030.



Energy Monitor

Record year as EVs rise to one-sixth of all new UK car sales

Peloton’s stock may have rebounded Friday, but it still has a long way to go to recover.

Pandemic Darling No More: Peloton’s Dramatic Crash In 4 Charts

Demand for electric cargo bike couriers has boomed since first lockdown, bringing the hope of cleaner, quieter, safer streets



The Guardian

Cargo without carbon: the rise and rise of e-bike deliveries

Converting truck fleets to renewable energy is a goal of many fleet operators worldwide. This has also been recognized by HERE, a global navigation software company; the company is a joint subsidiary of German automakers Audi, BMW and Daimler. Intel, Bosch, Continental and the Chinese Tencent Group are also shareholders. HERE supplies cartographic material to logistics groups worldwide, including for route planning for the approximately 800 trucks of the Migros cooperative.

Operating truck fleets with lowest possible emissions

The downgrade comes a day after shares tanked 8%.

​​Ford Isn’t Tesla Yet And Shouldn’t Be Trading Like An EV Stock, Jefferies Says

China considers this year as the crucial year for its new-energy vehicles industry to "go global," according to the Chinese industry ministry.



Oil Price

China Sees 2022 As Crucial For Its EV Industry

Sadiq Khan’s pledge to cut traffic by 27% is welcome, but more must be done – not least to protect residents’ health. Last Friday, everyone living in London was told to avoid strenuous physical activity. An intense area of high pressure meant pollutants were caught in the air, rather than being blown away as usual. The government forecast the highest level of pollution – band 10 – would be reached, with air pollution at its highest recorded level since March 2018. The advice to avoid intense exercise put the onus on the most vulnerable in society – children, elderly people, those living with lung and heart conditions – rather than encouraging drivers to move to more sustainable transport options or limit their journeys. But, as a report published on Tuesday shows, we will not effectively tackle the climate crisis without real traffic reduction. If London is to be a city that works for everyone – drivers included – it needs to move seriously towards a future with fewer private cars on its streets. That’s why I was so heartened to see the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, acknowledging that traffic needs to go down by at least 27% in the capital to meet our climate targets. While I would argue that we could be more ambitious, Khan’s target is impressive, compared with the 2018 mayoral transport strategy, and marks real progress. Around the world, cities that have reduced cars have become better places to live and work: cleaner, safer, with healthier residents who have the option to move around in different ways, rather than relying on private cars.. Hirra Khan Adeogun is head of car-free cities at the climate charity Possible 

A car-free London is within our reach | Hirra Khan Adeogun

Every day, Aiden Lee joins the hundreds of thousands of people getting around Taipei on two wheels.

'Game changer' e-moped batteries spread from Taiwan across Asia

General Motors is finding new markets for its hydrogen fuel cell systems, announcing that it will work with another company to build mobile electricity generators, electric vehicle charging stations and power generators for military camps.

GM expands market for hydrogen fuel cells beyond vehicles

NYPDs’ Electrification Efforts Sees Mustangs and Model 3s Becoming NYC’s Law Enforcement and Emergency Vehicles

Goodyear Launches First Electric Car Tires, Maintains Performance Yet More Wear-Resistant

The most affordable EV to hit the streets of South Africa is the recently launched Eleksa CityBug.



New Eleksa EV has launched in South Africa

The green H2 project, launched in Montpellier in 2019 in conjunction with EDF, had already been awarded €18m of regional, national and EU funding

Recharge

French city cancels purchase of 51 hydrogen buses after realising electric ones would be six times cheaper to run

The carmaker's plan to accelerate production of its electric crossover and pickup have lifted its shares more than 20% in January.

Ford’s Amped Up Electric Vehicle Strategy Boost Shares, Tops GM’s Market Cap

"Hydrogen is the future for heavy-duty transportation, and we are well-poised to leverage our focus on closed environments like ports and logistics centers."

Gaussin’s Hydrogen And Electric Transport For Cargo At Ports, Logistics Centers And Airports

The legacy automaker’s stock is at its highest level in over 20 years.

Ford Blows Past $100 Billion Market Valuation As Shares Surge Thanks To Hot Electric Vehicle Plans

How Long Does It Take for a Tesla Gigafactory to Build a Model Y?

With Giga Berlin Yet to Kick Off Production, 33 Model Y Vehicles Seen in Facility

Back in 2013, an announcement by the Federal Reserve about pulling back on the central bank's easy-money policies sent markets into a tizzy. 



Why Are Renewables Stocks Plunging?

Supplier to Tesla, Ford and VW will raise $11bn in what is expected to be South Korea’s biggest listing

Financial Times

LG Energy Solution readies IPO to take on Chinese EV battery rivals

Cement giant to trial 'breakthrough' magnetisable concrete designed to enable EVs to wirelessly charge while driving on roads.

Business Green

Holcim to trial 'breakthrough' magnetic concrete for wireless EV charging

Recent reporting at various major media outlets appears to hail a nascent shift away from touting an "energy transition" narrative towards reporting on real world outcomes. If so, that is a positive development for all involved.

Energy Realism Vs. The Energy Transition Narrative - Which Will Prevail In 2022?

Tesla is the world leader in the transition to electric vehicles. While other European companies like Stellantis and BMW are expected to increase the number of vehicles sold, neither will come close to rivaling Tesla.

With New German Gigafactory, Tesla Looks To Build On Big Lead In Surging European EV Sales

Five experts predict 2022's major energy stories including coal’s accelerating decline, federal investments expanding clean energy and the grid, and millions of new electric vehicles on U.S. roads.

2022 Energy Predictions: Coal Decline Accelerates, Federal Funds Spur Clean Energy, Millions Of New Electric Vehicles And Chargers

Tesla has unveiled its giant new Megapack battery project in Texas in a new Youtube video. It’s one of the biggest yet.



Electrek

Tesla unveils its giant Megapack battery project in Texas

To get more Americans in electric vehicles, we all need to realize they can do much more than just get us around.

Electric cars aren’t just vehicles. They’re big batteries.

Relying on investors to save the planet using a “taxonomy” has limits


The Economist

The EU’s green rules will do too little to tackle climate change

Record sales and now news of a battery that lasts hundreds of miles. It’s getting better, but going green was tough, admits a reluctant pioneer. This time last year my partner John and I celebrated purchasing an electric car by driving through London to see the Christmas lights without having to pay congestion or Ulez – ultra-low emission zone – charges. I gleefully tweeted that Regent Street, deserted in lockdown, seemed a London from a different era: empty roads and glittering shop windows. This was my first moment of enjoyment of the electric vehicle (EV), whose purchase had been the source of considerable domestic tension. An eternal optimist, John was convinced we should dispense with a diesel car. The arrival of a grandchild, living at the opposite diagonal corner of London, tipped the balance. It would cut 30 minutes off a hellish journey. 

Streets ahead? What I’ve learned from my year with an electric car

The International Energy Agency forecasts that global gasoline consumption has all but peaked as more efficient cars and the advent of electric vehicles from new players such as Tesla Motors Inc. halt demand growth in the next 25 years.

Time

What Norway Can Teach the World About Switching to Electric Vehicles

The advent of electric vehicles will eventually extend to motorbikes, despite a deep cultural attachment to the internal combustion engine on two wheels. The guttural roar rising from the start-up pits was flag marshal Shane Adderton’s cue. The 34-year-old technician has been involved in the motorbike world since he was a teenager, and volunteering at South Australia’s racing mecca of Mallala Motorsport Park always gave him a special thrill. “When you hear them start up and leave the pits, that sound is something you look forward to,” he says. “That note of the exhaust – the emotion it creates is part of the attractiveness.” 

‘Motorcycling is a very sensual thing’: will bikers accept losing their vroom?

Around 190,000 battery electric cars were sold amid disruption to global supply chains. Booming electric car sales were a bright spot in a tough car market last year amid disruption to global supply chains hitting manufacturers, according to fresh data. In its annual sales snapshot for 2021, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said carmakers sold 190,000 battery electric cars across the country last year, accounting for about 11.6% of total sales. Vauxhall Corsa. Tesla Model 3. Mini Mini. Mercedes-Benz A-class. Volkswagen Polo. Volkswagen Golf. Nissan Qashqai. Ford Puma. Kia Sportage. Toyota Yaris. Tesla Model 3. Kia Niro. Volkswagen ID3. Nissan Leaf. Audi e-tron. Hyundai Kona. Mini Mini. Renault Zoe. Vauxhall Corsa. MG ZS 

Carmakers report booming UK sales of electric vehicles

The Texas economy is booming. But when it comes to buying power from new generating facilities, the coops are concerned that they might have difficulty "getting a seat at the table."

Texas Rural Coop Says Smaller Utilities Need To Be Heard

The electric vehicle maker briefly dipped below its IPO price of $78.

Rivian Shares Plunge Nearly 15% In Two Days After Amazon Signs Deal With Rival

Tesla's Model Y Received Highest IIHS Safety Rating

A Ph.D. student at EPFL studied the use of automated control systems for blinds and electric lighting to regulate the amount of daylight in an office, and found that such systems can cut a building's energy demand and stimulate occupants' circadian rhythms, improving their health and well-being.

Better use of office daylighting can improve people's well-being

General Motors has an array of battery-powered models coming, including electric Silverado pickup and Equinox and Blazer SUVs, but the new BrightDrop commercial truck unit is already showing progress.

GM’s EV Push Yields Orders For Thousands Of Electric BrightDrop Vans From Walmart, FedEx

Price of Key Battery Materials to Continue Upward Trend Until 2022

An electric car that runs on PV power sounds appealing. But is it really possible to enjoy flexibility with a vehicle charged through a home photovoltaic system? An ETH research team has reached some surprising conclusions.

Charging electric vehicles with photovoltaics at home

US electric vehicle group latest to pump money into company backed by Rio Tinto 

Ideanomics to invest in battery start-up InoBat

ST Releases Third-Gen SiC Products as Part of Effort to Expand Investments in EV/Industrial Applications

The sale of electric cars in Norway rose last year by 48%, ensuring that almost two out of every three new automobiles were battery powered. 

Electric cars take two-thirds of Norway car market, led by Tesla

Monday’s stock gains come after the S&P 500 closed out 2021 with a stellar 27% gain—but expectations for 2022 are tepid.

Stocks Rally To Jumpstart 2022, Tesla Surges And Apple Hits $3 Trillion

First Good News for 2022: Tesla Delivered Record High 308,600 Vehicles in 4Q21

When Charlie Jardine started EO Charging in 2015, the Brit wanted to be central to the next big wave — the shift from the internal combustion engine to the electric vehicle. So he built a company that will go public early this year.

EO Charging Targets Fleets — A Strategy That Will Help It Go Public

The fastest-growing U.S. automaker reported record electric vehicle deliveries and production in 2021’s final quarter and its best-ever total annual sales volume.

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