Many juniors are on the hunt for ‘technology metals,’ a broad category that includes cobalt, copper, nickel, platinum group elements, graphite, lithium, rare earth elements, and silver, among others.
London-based consultancy Minviro says the true climate change impacts of producing battery-grade graphite can be as much as 10 times higher than published values.
A jump in demand for traditional lead-acid car batteries and lingering freight problems have created shortages that have been felt most acutely in the huge US automotive sector.
Company approved the final construction and development of its cobalt operations in the US state of Idaho, with the first production expected in mid-2022.