The Elements of Innovation Discovered
The Elements of Innovation Discovered
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Honored for innovation that benefits national energy security. In recognition of its pioneering advancements in battery recycling, American Battery Technology Company (ABTC) was awarded the "Outstanding Contribution to Recycling & Reuse in Battery Materials" honor at the 2025 Fastmarkets Lithium Supply and Battery Raw Materials Voltas Awards, standing out among 20 global competitors for its innovative technologies and commitment to a resilient domestic supply chain. With a... Full story
An outcome that will redefine regulations, international goodwill, and environmental impact. Two companies are taking bold but divergent steps into deep-sea mining – one navigating U.S. territorial waters, the other operating in the legal limbo of international waters. With the International Seabed Authority (ISA) stalled on mining regulations and the Trump administration aggressively advancing domestic resource development, the forward momentum of private interests is f...
Aims to be first in lithium manganese-rich prismatic battery cells in the next 3 years. Positioning itself to beat rival Ford to market with the next wave of high-performance, lower-cost electric vehicle batteries, General Motors has unveiled a "game-changing" lithium manganese-rich (LMR) prismatic battery it says will cut costs, boost range, and establish competitive edge in electrifying America's trucks and SUVs. Unlike GM's current Ultium batteries, which depend heavily on...
Resource nationalism elevates the European will to diversify supply chains. In a major strategic move to strengthen critical raw materials security through international cooperation, the European Union has selected 13 new mining and processing projects to support beyond its borders, expanding its supply chain footprint across five continents by deepening ties with a diverse set of global allies. From Canadian nickel deposits and Greenlandic graphite seams to a newly...
Canadian battery recycler announces president and veteran strategist. Marking a milestone for Indigenous leadership in cleantech, Aki Battery Recycling – Canada's first Indigenous-led lithium-ion battery recycling company – has formalized its governance structure, appointing Reggie George as President and Andre Marais as Director of Strategy and Corporate Development, while advancing due diligence and shortlisting technology partners for its planned operations. "The Aki ven... Full story
Benchmark Mineral Intelligence Chairman says nations that control energy metal supply chains "control the sway of industrial power." President Donald Trump's signing of executive orders on his first day back in the Oval Office aimed at dismantling much of the Biden administration's climate agenda has raised concerns about the energy transition in the United States and the impacts on minerals demand. However, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence remains confident that the global...
California tech company secures future Alaska graphite for American-made batteries. Silicon Valley-based electric vehicle manufacturer Lucid Motors and North America-focused critical minerals company Graphite One have signed a multi-year deal that will establish an all-American mine-to-EV battery graphite supply chain with links in Alaska, Ohio, Arizona, and garages across the United States. "A supply chain of critical materials within the United States drives our nation's... Full story
Trump administration issues directive to streamline mineral extraction on the heels of increased commercial interest. Shortly after two deep-sea mining companies made headlines courting the Trump administration for permissions to extract much-desired minerals from domestic and international waters, the President signed an executive order to assert U.S. leadership in seabed mineral exploration and development vital for national security and economic strength. The executive...
Surprise announcement of this development inspires cautious optimism. In a LinkedIn post, Charles Poon, director of electrified propulsion engineering at Ford Motor Co., announced a new lithium-manganese-rich (LMR) battery he says will be integrated into its affordable, longer-range electric vehicle lineup by the end of the decade. However, the company has yet to share key technical details. This innovation stems from intensive research and development at Ion Park, Ford's Batt...
International scientific and market cooperation can create a diverse, resilient global battery ecosystem. The global battery industry has achieved a sea change, surpassing 1 terawatt-hour (TWh) in demand for the first time in 2024. As electric vehicle sales and energy storage needs grow, and overall production costs continue to fall, supply chain realignments are reshaping the industry. This expansion underscores the increasing role of batteries in both transportation and...
Now is the chance to go diving for treasure – the question is how, and what will it cost? Both the Trump and Biden administrations have prioritized securing critical minerals, but have taken very different approaches. The current presidency is signaling support for deep-sea mining as a way to secure critical minerals, a shift from the previous administration's more cautious approach. The Biden administration sought alternatives to Chinese mineral supply chains by s...
Deep concerns and multi-billion-dollar investments have not steered America away from heavy critical mineral import reliance. Like the massive cargo ships that transport the minerals essential to American industry, the U.S. remains slow to change course on its critical mineral dependence. The 2025 edition of U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) annual Mineral Commodity Summaries report shows that America's reliance on foreign suppliers for its critical mineral needs is virtually...
Beijing adds five minerals critical to tech, energy, and defense to growing export restrictions list. Continuing to exploit a weakness in the United States' economic and national security armor, China has placed restrictions on the exports of five additional critical minerals – bismuth, indium, molybdenum, tellurium, and tungsten. All of these metals are essential to the high-tech, clean energy, and defense sectors of the U.S. economy. Starting with gallium and germanium in m...
Days before Trump's inauguration, proposed Chinese export restrictions target processes for battery components, critical mineral extraction and refinement. Critical mineral processing and battery tech exports from China appear to be the next casualty in a burgeoning trade war between Washington and Beijing, key players in the global economy with opposing views and a worldwide net-zero emissions goal in the balance. Earlier this month, China's Ministry of Commerce proposed...
China export bans underscore lack of national reserves; The Oregon Group points out upsides and downsides to rebuilding stockpiles. Above and beyond exposing America's lack of critical minerals mining and processing, China's ban on the exports of antimony, gallium, and germanium shines a spotlight on the near depletion of national reserves of mined commodities vital to the nation's economy and security. Critical minerals and energy analysts at The Oregon Group point out that...
From space tech-enabled copper exploration in Australia to nuclear fuel made in America, MTN counts down the most popular articles of 2024. Over the past year, Metal Tech News writers delivered more than 500 articles with deep insights into the scientific breakthroughs, mining initiatives, government policies, and market conditions that are shaping the future for technology metals and mining technologies. These articles took readers from material science discoveries in the... Full story
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,...
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....
"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...
New U.S. benchmark to boost market transparency, supporting battery supply chain growth. With lithium batteries forecast to power a sixfold surge in United States graphite demand by 2034, Fastmarkets has launched a new price assessment that aims to provide greater transparency and reliability benchmarks to manufacturers, producers, and investors involved in U.S. graphite. Established over 150 years ago, England-based Fastmarkets has built a reputation for delivering reliable... Full story
New venture aims to recover critical minerals from lithium-ion batteries, reducing waste and carbon emissions while supporting sustainable development in Ontario. In a strategic move to tackle the environmental and supply chain challenges posed by battery waste, Electra Battery Materials Corp. and Indigenous-owned Three Fires Group have launched Aki Battery Recycling, a joint venture focused on producing black mass through responsible recycling of lithium-ion battery scrap....
Federal grant and state support Inflation Reduction Act-compliant EV battery material production. Mitra Chem, a leading innovator in battery materials, has been selected by the state of Michigan's Competitiveness Fund and U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) for up to $125 million in awarded funds to establish a cutting-edge manufacturing facility in Muskegon, Michigan. MESC plays a critical role in catalyzing investments...
Incalculable riches, delicate ecosystem, and the green energy future. Deep-sea mining has captured the world's attention as a uniquely promising source of the metals needed for lithium-ion batteries powering the green energy future and a bitterly controversial topic of debate. Undersea deposits contain quantities of nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese sufficient to replace every U.S. car on the road today with an electric vehicle. They also host some of the most diverse, lit... Full story
An all-of-government strategy is beginning to unfold in the US. Over the first two years following the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, the U.S. Department of Energy has invested billions of dollars into establishing a clean energy supply chain in the United States. These heavy investments, however, have neglected one vital link – the domestic mines needed to supply the processing facilities, battery plants, and other energy t... Full story
Import-reliance a top concern for national security officials. America's heavy reliance on China and others for the minerals and metals critical to the nation's economic competitiveness, military strength, and clean energy future is high on the list of strategic concerns for top brass at the U.S. departments of Defense and Homeland Security. While much of this concern is rooted in the fact that the United States' ability to defend its strategic interests at home and abroad... Full story
