Electric driving is the future in the eyes of many governments. It also helps us in the fight against global warming. But there are now serious concerns that production will lag behind due to a growing shortage of a key material: cobalt.
This is according to a new report by the European Commission.Cobalt is a by-product in the mining of copper. It is increasingly in demand; it is widely used in the lithium-ion batteries of electric cars. The price of cobalt has also already risen dramatically in recent years.
Produce your own
The European Commission's research centre estimates that there may be a shortage of cobalt from 2025. This will be the case even if more battery technologies come along that require less cobalt, so the researchers are calling on the EU to produce more cobalt itself. Currently, the metal is mainly sourced from China and Congo, with cobalt being mined in the EU only in Finland. Reserves are present in Spain and Sweden, but it is more difficult to mine the substance there.
Alternatives
Meanwhile, several companies are working on inventions that require less use of cobalt in batteries. The company CAMX Power has developed the GEMX technology, which is a way of placing cobalt at the molecular level in critical areas of a battery's cathode. Studies have shown that despite less cobalt, this method provides greater stability. Also, production could then be done at a lower cost, as cobalt is relatively expensive. A tonne of cobalt cost almost $100,000 a year ago, now it is about $53,000. A higher nickel content also ensures a higher energy density of the batteries, Tweakers writes.
CAMX is reportedly currently in talks with major manufacturers to secure a licence for GEMX. According to the creators, one manufacturer has already agreed to take a licence. They also claim that with GEMX, only four per cent cobalt is still needed in a cathode. Currently, the average is still 20 per cent.
CAMX worked with BASF and Johnson Matthey, two major chemical companies, among others, to develop GEMX.
Source: AD.co.uk/EC/Tweakers
