Battery metal prices have surged over the last year, with one tonne of lithium now worth over $75,000.
Battery demand for electric vehicles, energy storage systems, and portable electronic devices is propelling lithium mining around the planet.
Metals are needed to build the clean energy transition's infrastructure, but how much carbon does mining and refining these metals emit?
Despite efforts from the U.S. and Europe to increase the domestic production of batteries, the battery market is still dominated by Asian suppliers.
Electric vehicles can have 6 times more minerals than a combustion vehicle and be on average 340 kg heavier.
Which key minerals power the lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles?
Batteries accounted for 74% of lithium consumption in 2021, up from 23% in 2010.
What makes up the cost of a lithium-ion cell?
This chart tracks the history of lithium prices, which surged 497% in 2021 to reach a record high.
Metals mostly provided positive returns in 2021, with lithium and other industrial metals leading the charge while gold and silver slumped.
