For a long time, weve been hearing that cobalt is terrible.
But there are some signs for the better.
We decided to take a look.
The EV sector uses a combination of lithium-ion battery chemistries, with cobalt-containing cathodes maintaining the largest share.
This is due to their energy density and performance cobalt is particularly important for stability and safety.
The Institute predicts that cobalt demand will continue rising rapidly as the EV transition progresses.
70% of coming growth will be from the EV sector.
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No, lithium-ion batteries do not have to use cobalt.
The company has been sellingcobalt-free battery cellssince February 2021.
They claim that these are more sustainable and around 5% cheaper than classic high-nickel batteries.
And Tesla is heading the pack.
In China, Tesla works with CATL and LG-chem to make batteries.
They also make their batteries in-house with Panasonic.
So the impact could be even greater overall if theyve created a demand for LPF batteries.
We just didnt hear much about any of this.
We were too busy talking about Elon and Twitter.
This is why you need a PR department, Elon.
Theres a but…
Nickel mining isnt great either.
Its causingsignificant environmental damagein Russia.
Can cobalt or other earth minerals ever be mined sustainably and ethically?
Some 74% of mined supply comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
72% of the total production is refined in China.
Both regions have been accused of environmental and human rights abuses.
The groupproduced a reporton efforts in this area.
It notes that initiatives often fail at a local level, plagued by a lack of local ownership.
Also, a problem is unproductive competition between responsible sourcing actors no surprises there.
Its not just about mining but also ensuring longer lives for batteries.
And, a greater focus on reusing their ingredients to reduce the reliance on mining the raw materials.
Story byCate Lawrence
Cate Lawrence is an Australian tech journo living in Berlin.
