Column: Electric dreams turn into a nightmare for battery metals
A sector that was once racing to build new supply has been closing mines and deferring projects as low prices bite into the cost curve.
President Joe Biden’s plan to build out electric-vehicle infrastructure has triggered a fresh rally in the sector, with US automakers making bold commitments to electrify their fleets.
Problem is, electric cars run on lithium-ion batteries, and the US is in short supply.
While China dominates the battery manufacturing supply chain, and Europe is working to catch up, the US still lags far behind.
CNBC producer Katie Brigham interviewed analysts and executives to explain what needs to happen in order to avoid a bottleneck in EV production in the United States:
