While the global transition of clean energy continues to accelerate, the demand for critical minerals warms in the world. While the government follows 50 of these materials which are essential to the objectives of economic and national security, there is a clear precursor in the race for arms of the demand curve: lithium. “White gold” will see the fastest growth rate of any critical mineral, mainly driven by battery production for electric vehicles and energy storage.
In 2022, the International Agency for Renewable Energies (Irena) estimated This lithium request for the manufacture of batteries alone would be ten times between 2020 and 2030. In addition, a 2023 report Popular mechanics calculated that “an electrified saving in 2030 will probably need 250,000 to 450,000 tonnes of lithium” – a truly breathtaking sum. For reference, “in 2021, the world produced only 105 – not 105,000 – tonnes”.
But at the same time as global demand for lithium becomes gangs, we throw millions of tonnes of lithium in discharges Each year. In fact, it is estimated that only 5% of lithium batteries are recycled. The closure of this loop could help reduce the environmental footprint of lithium batteries. A University of Stanford study Posted in January of this year shows that on an industrial scale, battery recycling is at least 58% less destructive of the environment than the exploitation of the new lithium. The results have shown that the recycling process of lithium-ion batteries emits less than half of the greenhouse gases of conventional extraction and refinement processes, and consumes only a quarter of water and energy.
Critically, the increase in recycling rates could also greatly contribute to helping to “relieve long -term insecurity – physically and geopolitically – of critical battery minerals”, as reported by Tech Xplore. Today, just a country Dominates a huge range of critical mineral markets, including lithium – China. China alone represents 60% of EV-Battery quality lithium. And, therefore, 75% of all EV batteries are made in China. Increased recycling rates in other countries could help These supply chains and create a more competitive – and therefore more resilient world market.
And a new startup in Hong Kong now uses artificial intelligence to make recycling of lithium batteries more efficient, efficient and accessible than ever. A five-year startup called Achelous Pure Metals has developed a portable recycling system equipped to treat old lithium-ion batteries. Technology can be deployed in urban centers, making it an ideal solution for an increasingly urbanized world. The company has developed a robot assisted pilot line capable of sorting, shredding and filtering the desirable materials of batteries – however, in particular, not batteries of electric vehicles.
“Our objective is to tackle the growing problem of lithium-ion batteries thrown by providing scalable, mobile and environmentally friendly recycling in urban centers from Hong Kong, with plans to extend to Asia (south-east)”, Alan Wong Yuk-Chun, co-founder and technical director of the Pure access metals, said The South China Morning Post.
Although this can be a critical step in the diversification of lithium sources, China has also considerably accelerated its own battery recycling capacities, insofar as the competition on recyclables – in particular, a sub -product of battery waste known as black mass – has become somewhat fierce. “Our client’s factory must compete for the dark mass at increasing prices, while the prices of end products such as lithium carbonate continue to fall in the middle of an excess offer,” said Shawn Cheng, co-founder and research director of the start-up.
But Pure Metals Achelous has a competitive advantage, driven by the portable nature of its technology. According to a report According to interesting engineering, the company pivots by “building its operations in Hong Kong and helping businesses through Southeast Asia establish” micro-factories “which can transform the batteries thrown into black mass for export to China.” In the end, it would seem that all the roads lead to Beijing.
By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com
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