The Elements of Innovation Discovered

Articles from the October 2, 2024 edition


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  • ABTC worker overlooking various complex recycling machinery.

    ABTC awarded $150M for new recycling plant

    A.J. Roan, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    DOE backs company for more domestic battery supply, enhancing U.S. electrification and critical material supply chain resilience. Further solidifying its role in North America's circular battery metals supply chain as the world shifts to electrification, American Battery Technology Company (ABTC) has been awarded a $150 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to construct a second commercial-scale lithium-ion battery recycling facility. In the fall of 2023,...

  • Molten aluminum being poured next to analysis machine.

    DTE analysis tech to optimize aluminum

    A.J. Roan, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    Combining AI with LP-LIBS, DTE's aluminum analysis cuts energy use and boosts efficiency. In the face of surging global demand for aluminum and rising energy costs, an Icelandic company is pioneering a new solution with its real-time melt analysis technology that promises to revolutionize aluminum production by providing immediate insights into molten metal composition, significantly cutting down on energy usage and production times while ensuring higher efficiency and...

  • Nano One scientist inspecting LFP synthesis at Candiac.

    Nano One secures $12.9M for LFP expansion

    A.J. Roan, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    DOD funds expansion of North America's only LFP plant, boosting energy security for EVs and energy storage. With a strategic push to strengthen domestic energy security, Nano One Materials Corp. has received a $12.9 million award from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to support the expansion of lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cathode production at its Candiac facility in Québec, positioning the company to bolster North America's critical battery materials supply chain....

  • Rendering of various electrical apparatus connected to giant battery.

    U.S. invests in domestic minerals, jobs

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    "Investing in America" agenda is expected to generate $16 billion for onshoring critical minerals, processing and battery tech. As part of the Biden-Harris Administration's Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Energy announced it will be funding over $3 billion to 25 selected projects across 14 states to boost domestic production of batteries and battery materials. The portfolio of selected projects is intended to support projections of over 12,000 battery...

  • Tabletop covered in tools, brine samples and research materials.

    Wastewater brines host a wealth of lithium

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    The USGS has developed tools to help companies and researchers find them all. United States Global Survey (USGS) reports have long demonstrated that while there is technically plenty of lithium found in the Earth's crust to meet demand, extracting this battery metal in the usual fashion (hard rock mining and brine evaporation) hasn't been very sustainable or cost-effective, requiring large amounts of energy, water, or infrastructure. The highest concentrations of lithium are...

  • White, yellow, black, and grey piles of powdered rare earth elements.

    Wyoming rare earth plant back on track

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Dec 5, 2024

    Rare Element Resources receives federal authorization and funding to proceed with first-of-its-kind rare earth separation plant. Following a few months of slowed progress due to inflationary pressures pushing the costs to build its rare earths processing and separation demonstration plant above budget, Rare Element Resources Ltd. says the critical minerals facility being installed just outside of Upton, Wyoming, is on track to begin operations by the end of the year. Last...

  • Hyundai IONIQ 5 (left) and IONIQ 6 (right) at Tesla Supercharger.

    Hyundai and Kia team up on EV batteries

    K. Warner, Metal Tech News|Updated Oct 1, 2024

    Four-year project to improve price, safety, and domestic production of materials for lithium iron phosphate batteries. As part of efforts to improve electric vehicle battery safety, performance, and overall cost reduction, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corp. announced a four-year project to pioneer an eco-friendly lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cathode manufacturing technology together with Hyundai Steel and EcoPro BM, a battery materials research and development...

  • Large piles of red-colored rock and dirt by an industrial facility.

    Indonesian "Blood Nickel"

    Gabriel Collins - Morgan Bazilian - Simon Lomax|Updated Oct 1, 2024

    An expensive new risk for Western manufacturers and their investors. This past June, German chemicals giant BASF backed out of a planned $2.6 billion nickel refinery in Weda Bay, Indonesia. While the company cited changing dynamics in the global nickel market, BASF also faced calls to abandon the project from environmental and human rights groups. BASF's decision to walk away should focus the clean energy and automotive sector's attention on a new risk profile: Indonesia's...

  • A more than two-story-tall mining truck inside the Las Vegas Convention Center.

    Liebherr grabs MINExpo 2024 spotlight

    Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News|Updated Oct 1, 2024

    German firm unveils $2.8 billion zero-emissions mining equipment partnership with Fortescue. MINEXPO INTERNATIONAL 2024, LAS VEGAS – Grabbing the spotlight during the world's largest mining event is no small feat. A historic $2.8 billion partnership to further advance the technologies needed for zero-emissions mining, however, put German heavy equipment manufacturer Liebherr and West Australian miner Fortescue front and center during the main event that comes around just o...