If the EU is going to persuade its citizens of its green credentials, policy-makers may have to get into the dirty side of mining, writes Andy Home.

Around 70% of all graphite comes from China, and there are few viable alternatives for batteries.

For decades, geothermal plants in the Upper Rhine Valley have been pumping up hot fluids from beneath the earth’s surface to generate electricity, but the facilities never bothered about the lithium in the brine.

Greatpower has monthly capacity to make 3,000 tonnes of cobalt sulphate, a key ingredient in batteries for electric vehicles.

South Korea’s LG Chem Ltd. and its battery unit LG Energy Solution agreed to buy 20,000 tonnes of battery-grade nickel from Li-Cycle over 10 years starting in 2023 as part of a deal that includes a $50 million investment in the

The Asian country controls a third of the $46 billion market for electric vehicle batteries.

The facility in Rochester will be built to process 35,000 tonnes annually of waste, 40% larger than initially expected.