Semantron 20 Summer 2020

Technology and battery metals

In conclusion, technology is changing our daily lives, impacting heavily on world economic activities. Commodities markets, in particular basemetal markets, which act as indicators for the world economy, are highly sensitive to changes in technology. These changes could result in a fundamental change in the demand of different kind of metals. The electrification of the world has already led to increase demands for copper, a primary component of wires. These changes are especially affecting for cobalt, with a relatively tiny market and being largely demand driven, prices are highly sensitive to technological changes.

Sources

Anon. (2019) Abundance of elements in Earth's crust.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abundance_of_elements_in_Earth%27s_crust [Consulted 08 2019]

Anon. (2019) Commodity, Cobalt.

https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/cobalt [Consulted 08 2019]

Anon. (2019) Electric vehicle.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_vehicle [Consulted 08 2019]. Attwood, J. & Ritchie, M. (2018) Elon Musk Warns That Tesla's Cobalt Use Is Heading Toward Zero. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-02/tesla-supercharging-its-model-3- means-less-cobalt-more-nickel [Consulted 08 2019] Clowes, W. & Kennedy, W. (2019) Glencore Tries to Limit Fallout From Congo Mine Halt. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-07/glencore-tries-to-limit-fallout- from-shutting-congo-cobalt-mine [Consulted 08 2019] EV Outlook Team (2019) Electric Vehicle Outlook 2019. https://about.bnef.com/electric-vehicle-outlook/ [Consulted 08 2019] GEMC (2017) Cobalt Demand. https://www.globalenergymetals.com/cobalt/cobalt-demand/ [Consulted 08 2019] Global Mining Research (2018) GMR Cobalt. s.l.: Global Mining Research. Information and Outreach Program at NREL for the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (2001) Advanced Technology. United States: U.S. Department of Energy. KAWAMA (2018) Can the world produce enough cobalt for electric vehicles? https://www.economist.com/business/2018/12/01/can-the-world-produce-enough-cobalt- for-electric-vehicles [Consulted 08 2019] Larsen, N. (2019) WHY HAVE COBALT PRICES CRASHED. https://internationalbanker.com/brokerage/why-have-cobalt-prices-crashed/ [Consulted 08 2019] LME (2019) LME Cobalt. [Consulted 08 2019] MINING.COM Editorial (2019) Lithium and cobalt prices to remain under pressure as supply overtakes demand. https://www.mining.com/lithium-and-cobalt-prices-to-remain-under-pressure-as-supply- overtakes-demand-report/ [Consulted 08 2019] Pettit, C.-l. (n.d.) Lithium-ion. https://www.cobaltinstitute.org/lithium-ion-batteries.html [Consulted 08 2019]

58

Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs