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Mining waste might have a new purpose: building lithium ion batteries.
What’s happening:
- The United States Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory has announced a new partnership with Talon Metals (TSX:TLO) to turn mined nickel ore into critical inputs for electric vehicle battery production
The big idea:
- Nickel mining and production has valuable by product minerals, including iron compounds
- Typically the iron compounds that are derived from nickel production and mining operations are turned into waste and discarded of
- However, iron compounds are used in lithium iron phosphate cathodes which are being used more frequently in the production of lithium ion batteries
- Argonne and Talon are collaborating together to develop an innovative new approach to taking iron sulphides from nickel production to synthesize lithium iron phosphate cathodes for new battery manufacturing
Why it matters:
- The Argonne National Laboratory is one of the leading innovation hubs for the energy transition and is funded entirely by the United States Department of Energy
- Lithium iron phosphate cathode production is currently very limited and if the collaboration between Argonne National Laboratory and Talon is successful, it could reshape the future of lithium ion battery manufacturing in the United States
Going deeper:
- Talon Metals owns some of the most important nickel properties in the United States, which has become increasingly more relevant as electric vehicle manufacturers need to find sources of domestic nickel in order to qualify for available electric vehicle tax credits
