BHP Billiton Ltd. is boosting sales of the top-quality nickel that’s needed for electric vehicle batteries, another sign that the world’s biggest miner is targeting more opportunities in the booming sector.
Dutch battery maker Lithium Werks BV, founded earlier this year, is investing 1.6 billion euros ($1.85 billion) in a massive lithium-ion cell factory in China as demand for batteries is surging.
CEO Fabio Schvartsman said the company would only invest further in nickel if global prices for the metal rise from $13,000 per tonne currently to around $20,000 per tonne.
