The price of lithium has been on a roller coaster ride over the past few years. The metal is, of course, a crucial component in batteries. Lithium prices shot up around 2021 as electric vehicle investments and sales took off. Then, last year, prices plunged as more supply came online and EV sales started to […]
Lithium News
Thacker Pass could be largest lithium resource in North America
Construction of Nevada’s next big mine is well underway near the town of Orovada in Humboldt County. Lithium Americas is completing initial dirt work for a massive production facility at its Thacker Pass lithium mine at the southern end of the McDermitt Caldera, which lies about 60 miles northwest of Winnemucca. Construction of the processing […]
Why lithium is critical for battery production
Rio Tinto (RIO) recently announced its agreement to acquire Arcadian Lithium (ALTM) in a deal valued at $6.7 billion, positioning the company to become the world’s third-largest lithium miner. CRU Group vice president of base and battery metals Frank Nikolic joins to discuss his outlook on the lithium market. Nikolic emphasizes that lithium is “a […]
GM’s PowerBank home battery is now available
GM is launching its new PowerBank home battery unit today, which slots right into the company’s lineup of residential energy management products. The battery lets homeowners collect energy at off-peak times from the grid or a solar panel system and then power the home when energy prices peak or when the lights go out without […]
Enhanced electrocapillarity technique advances battery interface analysis
Batteries power everything from smartphones to electric vehicles, with their performance hinging on the critical interface between the electrode and electrolyte. Penn State and industry researchers have developed a method to observe this interface at a higher resolution, which could potentially reveal new ways to improve battery efficiency and lifespan. They published their results in the Journal of […]
China is oversupplying lithium to eliminate rivals, US official says
Chinese lithium producers are flooding the global market with the critical metal and causing a “predatory” price drop as they seek to eliminate competing projects, a senior US official said on a visit to Portugal that has ample lithium reserves. Jose Fernandez, under secretary for economic growth, energy and the environment at the US Department […]
Tesla revealed as only AAA-Rated supplier in new Battery StorageTech bankability report
As the Battery StorageTech Bankability Ratings Report launches, providing insights and risk analysis on the leading global battery energy storage systems (BESS) suppliers, PV Tech Research market analyst Charlotte Gisbourne offers an exclusive preview. While the battery energy storage systems (BESS) market has seen incredible growth in recent years, it remains a challenge to fully understand the […]
Does limiting iPhone charging to 80% extend battery life?
Both the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 15 before it offer the option to limit charging to 80% rather than 100%. The thinking is that many people don’t need the full battery capacity of the device in a typical day, and it reduces wear on the battery, extending its life. But is the theory backed […]
Rio Tinto in talks to buy lithium miner Arcadium
Rio Tinto has been holding talks to buy lithium miner Arcadium, three sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations said, a deal that would make Rio the third-largest producer of the electric vehicle battery metal. Arcadium shares surged 36% in extended trading on Friday. Talks have been ongoing and continued in London this week during the LME […]
Newly developed material can suppress thermal runaway in batteries
A team of engineers and materials scientists at LG Chem, Korea’s largest chemical company, has developed a material that they claim could greatly reduce the risk of thermal runaway and resulting fires in batteries. In their paper published in the journal Nature Communications, the group describes how they developed the material and how well it […]
