whether you are comfortably sitting on your sofa with remote in one hand and mobile in the other, or you are working on your lap top or you driving your new EV car for all these things we should be thankful to one person an Italian Physicist Alesandro Volta who invented the battery and the unit of electric potential the Volt named after him Since then battery had gone many phases and the current lithium ion batteries has changed the world because of its high storage capacity, compact size, long life span and high safety. I would say the early days batteries were like steam engine while the lithium batteries are Jet engines. No wonder that the Nobel prize of chemistry in 2019 was given to John B. Goodenough, M. Stanley, and Akira Yoshino for making Lithium-ion batteries practical and safe.
Now the interesting part is there are five necessary input materials for batteries: Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, Graphite and magnesium. Have you ever thought while buying or looking at these batteries from where its input material comes. If not, then here is the fascinating information and you will surprise how complex it is due to the current global geopolitics.
80% of the Lithium is supplied world over by three countries Australia ~45%, Chile ~28% and China ~17%.
Around 70% of the Nickle is supplied by three countries Indonesia~45% Philipnes~15% and Russia~10%
Most interestingly, 75% of the World Cobalt comes from only one country Known as Democratic Republic of Congo. If you have been interested in world news then only you know that this country is struggling with political instability, civil wars, and armed groups and of course resulting into poverty, child labour and debates on ethical sourcing for the cobalt. A country so rich with natural resources but the population marred with poverty but quietly making our lives easier although majority of the population have no food on their plates.
70% of the Manganese comes from three countries, Australia~14%, South Africa~36% and again a hardly known country Gabon~20%.Gabon is neighbouring country of Congo and relatively an stable elected government after the 2023 coup.
The fourth input material Graphite, although it is available in many countries but interestingly it’s processing to use in batteries is very complex and here our neighbouring country China dominates and supplies 70% of the world over needs.Many of the countries who have Garphite but do not have the processing capacity sent it to China.
There are three things to note.
China produces 70% of the world’s Lithium Ion battery
Cobalt which necessarily comes from Congo but 80% of the cobalt mining and infrastructure is owned by the Chinese public enterprises and majority of the cobalt transported to China for refining.
Second, although we talk about technologies but having technology is difficult else other countries would have come up with graphite processing infrastructure.
China is worlds leading Lithium refiner and control over 70% of the refining although it has only around ~17% of Lithium reserves.
Although Australia produces 45% of the world’s Lithium but almost all is exported to China for processing although Australia is is trying to restrict China and diversify.
China control about 68% of world’s Nickel refining capacity although
If you look at the data, you will find that how Chinna controls the world market of Batteries and our technology upgradation, mobility upgradation everything dependent on them and in coming days as the countries dependency on batteries grows which is inevitable China will behave like USA and probably more dangerous.