V-Con is Stockhead’s investing focused video conference series, bringing you expert insights, panel discussions and presentations from leading analysts, listed small caps and industry players.
This latest video conference focuses on critical minerals.
Critical minerals are metals and non-metals vital for economic and national security, but they are vulnerable to supply chain disruption and geopolitical issues.
And they are used in the manufacture of products from mobile phones, flat screen monitors, wind turbines, to electric cars, and solar panels.
Critical minerals include rare-earth elements (REE), platinum-group elements (PGE) including platinum and palladium, cobalt, manganese, lithium, vanadium and nickel – just to name a few.
REEs are vital in magnet technologies because they provide a way to shrink electrical components and improve their efficiency – and this has spurred demand for wind turbines and EV drivetrains.
Manganese is used in battery and steel production and forecast demand shortfalls are being driven by the global economic recovery, particularly in China.
Then there’s the lithium industry, vital for EV battery technology alone and forecast to be worth $400 billion globally by 2030.
And prices are rising. Benchmark’s Lithium Carbonate Price EXW China (battery) has increased 313.33% since this time last year, reaching RMB 185,000/tonne ($28,675) in mid-October.
The global demand is expected to grow exponentially over the coming decades, and prices are set to continue their upwards trajectory as nations vie for critical minerals supply chain security.
www.ferroalloynet.com
