EU to back 10 battery materials projects ouside the block

Almost all of the 13 non-EU critical raw material projects identified for strategic investment by the European Commission concern the supply of battery energy storage system (BESS) and electric vehicle battery raw materials lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite.

The commission has identified the first extra-EU projects it will support to ensure a diverse, reliable supply chain and offer value creation in the nations in question.

Together with 47 strategic projects identified within the European Union, in March, the 60 facilities are intended to boost competitiveness for the European Union’s electromobility, renewable energy, defense, and aerospace industries.

Of the 13 extra-European sites, projects in Canada, Greenland, Kazakhstan, Norway, Serbia, Ukraine, and Zambia are in nations which have a strategic raw material partnership in place with the European Union. The exceptions are projects in Brazil, Madagascar, Malawi, New Caledonia, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

The 13 projects will require an anticipated €5.5 billion ($6.3 billion) to begin operating and will benefit from support from the commission, EU member states, and European financial institutions which will offer finance and contact with potential end-customers.

Projects

Battery-grade graphite will be extracted from the ongoing Balakhivka deposit, in Pobuzhzhya, Ukraine; from GreenRoc Strategic Materials’ Norgraph a/s and Greenland Graphite a/s operations in Norway and Greenland, respectively; from Evion Group’s Maniry mine, in Madagascar; and from Sarytogan Graphite Limited’s ongoing operations in Kazakhstan.

Nickel for battery use will be sourced from Société Le Nickel’s ongoing CaledoNi project, in New Caledonia; from Magneto Investments Limited Partnership’s Dumont Nickel Integrated Project, in Canada; and from Jervois Brasil Metalurgia’s São Miguel Paulista refinery restart project, in Brazil.

The latter two operations will also supply battery raw material cobalt, along with Kobaloni Energy Zambia Limited’s ongoing operation in the African nation.

Rio Tintovia’s Rio Sava Exploration ongoing Jadar operation, in Serbia will provide battery-grade lithium as well as metallurgical-grade boron.

Manganese suitable for battery use will come from Frontier Rare Earths Limited’s ongoing Zandkopsdrift mining site, in South Africa, which will also provide rare earth elements for use in magnets.

The other renewables-industry supply sites include Mkango Resources Limited’s Songwe Hill Rare Earths mine in Malawi, which will also supply rare earths for magnet use, copper from Nussir ASA’s mining operation in Norway, and tungsten from Tungsten West PLC’s UK-based mine.

From pv magazine España.