Category: Critical Minerals
Cobalt Prices Plunge to Eight-Year Low Amid Chinese Supply Surge
The price of cobalt, a critical metal used to manufacture electric vehicle batteries, has sunk to an eight-year low in Chinese trading. Analysts say the downturn is due to a combination of increased Chinese output of the blue metal and slumping demand for cobalt-powered batteries.
South Korea Looks to Central Asia to Reduce Reliance on China for Critical Minerals
President Yoon Suk Yeol wrapped up on Sunday a weeklong trip to Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan that focused on introducing Korea's new strategy toward Central Asia and strengthening cooperation in critical minerals, energy and infrastructure. Yoon and first lady Kim Keon ...
U.S., China, Indonesia’s Nickel Gridlock: A Perspective From Below
“Without Indonesia’s nickel, have no future in America,” declared Indonesia’s coordinating minister of maritime and investment affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan in Foreign Policy last month. A bold statement from Indonesia’s top minister. He blasted Washington’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) for ...
Senior U.S. Diplomat Accuses Chinese Company of “Predatory” Tactics to Depress Cobalt Prices
The top U.S. diplomat for energy and the environment, Jose Fernandez, accused Chinese mining giant CMOC of using "predatory" practices to intentionally flood the market with cobalt to suppress prices: “What we’re seeing now, I feel, is a variation of predatory pricing ...
China Issues Draft Guidelines to Rein in Lithium Battery Industry
China has released draft guidelines aimed at reining in the country's lithium battery industry, which has been in Western crosshairs over fears subsidized overproduction could flood global markets with cut-price exports. Lithium-ion batteries are a form of rechargeable energy storage used ...
EV Automakers Get Reprieve in U.S. Tax Credit Rules
The U.S. government gave automakers a reprieve Friday when finalizing electric vehicle tax credit rules by letting cars that contain Chinese graphite qualify for the consumer credits through 2026. The confirmation came as the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service published final ...
U.S.-China Competition for Africa’s Critical Resources
China maintains a massive lead over the U.S. and other G7 countries in both mining and refining capacity in Africa, a key vulnerability that policymakers in the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere say they're determined to rectify.
Australian Mining ‘Under Assault’ From Chinese Mining, Says U.S. Ambassador
The U.S. ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy, rallied to the defense of Aussie mining companies who she said were "under assault" from Chinese rivals that exploit labor and the environment. Kennedy made the remarks during a keynote address at the Paydirt ...
U.S. Should Increase Engagement With African Countries For Greater Access to Critical Minerals – Report
The U.S. should boost engagement with African countries in mutually beneficial partnerships to be the continent’s preferred partner for critical minerals development. This will not be easy, as there is no sign that China is retreating in African markets, and the U.S.’s economic competition in Africa is ...
BYD is Launching Its Next Gen Blade EV Battery and That’s Really Bad News for Both DR Congo, Indonesia
Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD announced the launch date for its next generation Blade EV battery that will be released in August with 27% more energy density than the current power pack. The new battery will also be sufficient for most cars to ...
Sourcing China-Free EV Battery Metals Will Be on the Agenda at This Week’s U.S., Japan, Philippines Summit
The Philippines' large nickel reserves, a key metal used to manufacture electric vehicle batteries, will be high on the agenda at this week's first-ever summit among the leaders of the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines that will begin on Thursday in Washington, D.C.
Zimbabwe Set to Launch Second Chinese-run Lithium Processing Plant
Final testing is now underway at a new Chinese-run lithium processing facility in eastern Zimbabwe, around 150km east of Harare. When fully operational, the new plant will be able to produce 300 tonnes a day of lithium concentrates that will be sent ...