Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 3, 2023

Recycling provided the only source of domestic supply for antimony, bismuth, chromium, germanium, tin, tungsten, and vanadium. The other leading producers of critical minerals were Australia and South Africa with three critical minerals each and Congo (Kinshasa) with two critical minerals.

Production 186

Production South Africa United States Congo 186

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 20, 2023

Through this MOU, the United States will support the commitment between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia to develop jointly a supply chain for electric vehicle batteries. The DRC produces more than 70% of the world’s cobalt.

Zambia 210

Zambia Congo Africa Batteries 210

Cars That Think

DECEMBER 23, 2022

California’s Air Resources Board (CARB) Chair Liane Randolph told Reuters that its 2035 EV mandate was the “sweet spot,” given “where the automakers are, where the supply chains are, and where the production vehicles are.” You cannot change the sources from Congo, China and other places within two to three years.”

Sale 70

Sale Tax Credit Tax Congo 70

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 9, 2022

China dominates the global Li-ion battery supply chain to the extent that removing the country in favor of European or North American alternatives will be difficult, according to analysis by Benchmark Minerals Intelligence. Despite mining less than 10% of the global supply, China refines 95% of it.

Li-ion 293

Li-ion Supplies China Mongolia 293

Green Car Congress

JULY 13, 2023

The energy transition requires a massive increase in the supply of critical materials, yet supply chains remain vulnerable to a range of geopolitical risks. Supply disruptions could impact the speed of the energy transition in the short to medium term, a new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) warns.

Supplies 195

Supplies South Africa Bolivia Congo 195

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

Around 60% of the world’s cobalt supply comes from the mineral-rich Katanga Copper belt, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This field study provides novel and robust empirical evidence that the artisanal extraction of cobalt that prevails in the DR Congo may cause toxic harm to vulnerable communities. —Nkulu et al.

Congo 207

Congo Universal Lithium Ion Neighborhood 207

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 23, 2021

Glencore has entered a long-term strategic partnership for the supply of responsibly sourced cobalt with Britishvolt, a UK startup planning a Gigafactory ( earlier post ). Our commitment to support our partners in meeting their requirements for essential battery ingredients is key to underpinning long-term supply agreements.

Supplies 305

Supplies Congo Coal Australia 305

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

Roughly 60% of mined cobalt is sourced from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Half of the current supply of cobalt is incorporated into cathodes for lithium-ion batteries, and many of those batteries are used in consumer electronics and electric vehicles. Xinkai Fu, Danielle N. Beatty, Gabrielle G. 9b04975.

Supplies 349

Supplies Batteries Battery Congo 349

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 11, 2021

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is expected to be the source for approximately 69% of mined cobalt in 2020—i.e., a significant quantity of the world’s supply originates from areas ranking poorly in terms of corruption and working conditions, notes critical materials supply chain intelligence company Roskill.

Supplies 243

Supplies Congo Energy Storage Standards 243

Green Car Congress

APRIL 16, 2020

UC Berkeley School of Law’s Center for Law, Energy & the Environment (CLEE) and the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) are conducting a stakeholder-led research initiative focused on identifying strategies to improve sustainability and governance across the EV battery supply chain.

Supplies 221

Supplies Batteries Battery Congo 221

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 29, 2021

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) can leverage its abundant cobalt resources and hydroelectric power to become a low-cost and low-emissions producer of lithium-ion battery cathode precursor materials, according to a new study on a unified African supply chain by BloombergNEF (BNEF).

Africa 221

Africa Supplies Emissions Poland 221

Green Car Congress

JUNE 30, 2020

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) announced a request for information (RFI) ( DOE-FOA-0002358 ) on challenges and opportunities in the upstream and midstream critical-materials battery supply chains. There is limited domestic production of Co and Li in the upstream supply chain.

Ni-Li 186

Ni-Li Supplies Batteries Battery 186

Green Car Congress

MAY 21, 2021

Tested in real operating conditions, from upstream cobalt production facilities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to downstream electric vehicle production sites, the pilot will run until the end of 2021, with the roll-out of the final solution expected in 2022.

Supplies 199

Supplies Congo Batteries Battery 199

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 25, 2018

As a result, demand is expected to exceed supply already in 2020 and the EU must take steps to boost supply and curb demand without hindering the growth in electric vehicles, according to a new JRC (Joint Research Center) report. The report predicts that, under average conditions, demand will outgrow supply by 64,000 tonnes in 2030.

Supplies 259

Supplies Europe Batteries Battery 259

Green Car Congress

MAY 18, 2022

Supply also returned to growth in 2021, with mine supply rising 12% y/y to 160 kt, after falling in 2020. kt in 2021, 12% of the DRC’s total supply. kt in 2021, 12% of the DRC’s total supply. Primary refined supply increased 14% y/y to 144 kt.

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Market Lithium Ion Congo Indonesia 293

CleanTechnica EVs

MAY 13, 2023

A CleanTechnica interviewee argues that automakers cannot make the excuse that it's too complicated to know who their suppliers are and how their suppliers are violating human rights.

Supplies 98

Supplies Tesla New York Congo 98

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 21, 2020

Volkswagen says that it is actively engaging in improving artisanal cobalt mining conditions in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as well as the living conditions for people in the surrounding communities. The Volkswagen Group is constantly pushing for greater responsibility in its raw material supply chains for batteries.

Congo 334

Congo Legal Google Financing 334

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 24, 2022

First announced in June 2022, the MSP is a new multilateral initiative to bolster critical mineral supply chains essential for the clean energy transition. Additional minerals-rich countries in attendance included Argentina, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zambia.

Namibia 210

Namibia Zambia Tanzania Mozambique 210

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 30, 2020

While cobalt prices have shown positive signs of late, there are nuances within the market which highlight the key fundamentals that will likely decide cobalt’s future price trend—which is taking its cues less and less from the industrial metal supply chain, according to a new report from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.

Price 382

Price Batteries Battery 2020 382

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 27, 2017

The BMW Group has now set itself the goal of enhancing the transparency of its battery cell supply chain and exploring options for model projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The DRC Government has pledged to eliminate this by 2025. —Ursula Mathar, head of Sustainability and Environmental Protection at the BMW Group.

BMW 150

BMW Supplies Congo Batteries 150

Green Car Congress

JULY 4, 2020

For example, two-thirds of all cobalt production happens in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). However, a new report from UNCTAD warns that the raw materials used in electric car batteries are highly concentrated in a small number of countries, raising a number of concerns.

Batteries 545

Batteries Battery Zambia Production 545

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 31, 2020

The cross-industry initiative “Cobalt for Development” has started trainings for twelve artisanal mining cooperatives in October in Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). The prevalence of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) in the cobalt supply chain creates challenges for establishing responsible sourcing practices.

Congo 220

Congo Legal 2019 Global 220

Green Car Congress

MAY 22, 2021

Glencore, one of the world’s leading producers of cobalt, produces cobalt mainly as a by-product of copper mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but also as a by-product of nickel mining in Australia and Canada. The Benchmark webinar was part of the Cobalt Institute Conference on 19 May 2021.

Congo 284

Congo 2019 Asia Lithium Ion 284

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

In 2017, Australia, Chile, and Argentina produced 91% of all lithium while the rest of the world supplied the remaining 9%. The Democratic Republic of Congo produced 59% of the world’s cobalt. Other lithium-ion battery materials, such as nickel, have a more even distribution of production throughout the world.

Chile 281

Chile Argentina Australia 2017 281

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 25, 2020

Under the supply terms, EGC will ensure that the ore marketed by Trafigura complies with OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas. We welcome this announcement and are excited at the prospect of supporting Trafigura’s agreement with EGC.

Congo 221

Congo Supplies Financing 2018 221

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 29, 2022

This would bring Indonesia into second place for cobalt mining, after the Democratic Republic of Congo. Indonesia’s nickel and cobalt are key components in global lithium ion battery supply chains. The HPAL process utilizes elevated temperatures (roughly 255 ?

Indonesia 236

Indonesia Cuba Congo Lithium Ion 236

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 13, 2020

The company insists on the use of strong standards for sustainability, making the industry-wide recognized “Standard for Responsible Mining” of the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) one of the key criteria for supplier decisions and supplier contracts within raw material supply chains.

Mercedes 377

Mercedes Batteries Battery Supplies 377

Green Car Congress

JUNE 23, 2021

Ford is working with its international nonprofit and grantmaking partners to support and promote a pilot program that will empower women working in the copper and cobalt supply chains in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). —Sue Slaughter, purchasing material cost and supply chain sustainability director.

Ford 170

Ford Congo Supplies Purchase 170

Green Car Congress

MAY 22, 2021

The Cobalt Institute commissioned Roskill to look at the global trends in cobalt consumption, supply and production in 2020. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remained the largest source of cobalt supply, accounting for 66% of the global mine supply.

2020 243

2020 2013 Lithium Ion Batteries 243

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 24, 2021

The FCA is a multi-stakeholder action platform committed to developing responsible and fair supply of artisanal mined cobalt from the Democratic Republic of Congo, creating and diversifying sustainable livelihoods for surrounding communities.

Batteries 186

Batteries Battery Congo Low Cost 186

Green Car Congress

MAY 30, 2021

Fastmarkets reported that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has banned the export of copper and cobalt concentrate. If this material was, even temporarily, removed from the supply chain, there would be knock-on effects, Roskill said.

Congo 316

Congo 2013 2007 China 316

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 16, 2021

Re|Source, a solution to trace responsibly produced cobalt from the mine to the electric vehicle ( earlier post ), acknowledged the progress made by Tesla in implementing the pilot project across its supply chain. The final pilot across the entire Tesla supply chain is expected to take place in Q4 this year.

Congo 186

Congo Supplies Asia 2019 186

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 11, 2023

Scrap from end-of-life batteries is not set to make up a meaningful supply until the early to mid 2030s, according to Benchmark. Cobalt prices have increased in China due to constrained supplies of cobalt hydroxide from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, due to logistical issues. Higher cobalt prices offset decline.

Price 195

Price China Congo Chinese 195

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 29, 2018

As part of a cross-industry initiative, the BMW Group, BASF SE, Samsung SDI and Samsung Electronics have launched a joint cobalt pilot project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The world’s largest known reserves of this raw material are found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Congo 236

Congo BMW Industrial Industry 236

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 7, 2021

China Molybdenum (CMOC) , a leading cobalt and copper producer, recently started trial production from its 10k expansion project at the Tenke Fungurume Mine (TFM) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). TFM mainly produces copper cathode and cobalt hydroxide. In 2020, TFM produced 182,597 tonnes of copper and 15,436 tonnes of cobalt.

South Africa 243

South Africa Congo Africa Price 243

Green Car Congress

APRIL 1, 2023

ICO’s mineral resource and reserve is the largest and highest grade confirmed cobalt orebody in the US, and when commissioned will represent the country’s only primary cobalt mine supply. Cobalt is a critical mineral as declared by the US Government.

Idaho 210

Idaho Congo Price Supplies 210

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 22, 2020

Our vision for a green economy is at the core of our continued commitment to supply the most critical materials for the global battery sector and we are leading industry efforts to ensure the sustainable, traceable cobalt sourcing in supply chains across Europe, North America, South Korea and Japan.

South Korea 247

South Korea Batteries Battery Congo 247