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The Department of Defense announced today a $3.2 million agreement with South Star Battery Metals Corporation (South Star) to support domestic production of Coated, Spheronized, Purified Graphite (CSPG) at their BamaStar Graphite Project (BGP) in Coosa County, Alabama.

“This is another example of the critical importance of the Defense Production Act investment authorities,” said Dr. Laura Taylor-Kale, ASD(IBP).  “As one of our first awards to a Canadian company in the battery materials sector, this award exemplifies our combined commitment to strengthening our battery material supply chains and global approach to industrial base resilience.”

The agreement with South Star, entered into under Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III authorities and utilizing funds appropriated by the Inflation Reduction Act, will enable the company to perform a bankable feasibility study. The study will cover the entire process from mining to final production of CSPG, exploring both economic and environmental, social, and governance criteria. Upon successful completion of the bankable feasibility study, South Star plans to construct a downstream battery-grade processing facility in the southeast United States that would take concentrates from the BamaStar mine site and transform it into CSPG. This will be used as feedstock for domestic lithium-ion battery anode production, contributing to a more complete U.S.-based graphite anode supply chain.

Read more at: https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3600429/dod-enters-agreement-to-expand-domestic-graphite-supply-chain/

Indonesia plans to introduce nickel tracing and push local producers to reach global mining standards to help the country move closer to securing a critical minerals deal with the US.

Each ton of nickel ore sales will be tracked using the SIMBARA portal starting next quarter, Septian Hario Seto, a deputy at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, said in an interview. Top producers will also be encouraged to get certifications from global entities like The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance, he added.

International certification will ensure the companies’ environmental, social and governance practices are recognized, said Seto, who oversees investment coordination and mining at the ministry. “It is for our own interest, regardless of the deal with the US,” he added.

Indonesia is seeking a critical minerals agreement with the US to help realize President Joko Widodo’s goal of building an entire electric-vehicle supply chain onshore by taking advantage of the country’s nickel riches. Jokowi, as the leader is known, met with US President Joe Biden earlier this week and agreed to continue efforts to potentially reach such a deal.

Read more at: https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/indonesia-to-trace-nickel-in-bid-for-us-critical-minerals-deal-1.1999819

WASHINGTON, Nov 12 (Reuters) – The United States and Indonesia on Monday will discuss how to advance a potential minerals partnership aimed a stimulating trade of the electric vehicle (EV) battery metal nickel, according to three people with direct knowledge of the conversations.

Next steps that could move the countries toward formal negotiations on the partnership will be discussed when Indonesian President Joko Widodo visits the White House for a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday, according to one of the people.

Read more at: https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/us-indonesia-discuss-potential-deal-ev-minerals-sources-2023-11-12/

Supply shortages caused by Indonesia’s crackdown on illegal nickel mining have forced the country to import large quantities of ore from the Philippines to keep smelters operating. Indonesia, the world’s largest nickel producer, has in recent months pursued a corruption investigation across the government that has led to delays in the issuance of quotas for nickel mining.

More than 53,000 tonnes of nickel ore and concentrates were shipped in May and June from the Philippines to Indonesia’s Morowali region, where Tsingshan, the world’s largest stainless steel producer, runs a large nickel smelting complex, official Indonesian customs data shows.

Read more at: https://www.ft.com/content/557478a8-0ec5-4495-9102-fb8781ba7451

The Australian government will double the amount of money on offer to support critical minerals projects, aiming to attract American miners and processing companies to establish operations in Australia.

The A$2 billion ($1.3 billion) boost will increase the capacity of Australia’s Critical Minerals Facility to finance mining and processing projects for materials.

Part of the appeal for Australia of expanding its critical minerals footprint is to plug an anticipated fiscal shortfall amid waning demand for fossil fuel exports in a decarbonizing world. Australia’s lithium shipments were worth A$20 billion ($12 billion) in the 12 months through June, with government forecasts showing the sector’s earnings could rival that of thermal coal exports by 2028.

Read more at: https://www.mining.com/australia-doubles-critical-minerals-fund-to-attract-investors/

China is upping the critical minerals stakes by curbing exports of graphite, a key raw material in electric vehicle batteries.

The West can’t say it wasn’t warned.

When China announced restrictions on exports of gallium and germanium in July, former Vice Commerce Minister Wei Jianguo was quoted in the China Daily as saying it was “just the start” if the West continued to target China’s high-technology sector.

Restricting the flow of two metals used in the manufacture of silicon chips was “a well-thought-out heavy punch” in reaction to the US Chips Act, Wei said.

The Biden administration has since tightened restrictions on the flow of advanced artificial intelligence chips to China, announcing on Friday a new raft of measures aimed at closing previous loopholes.

China is responding in kind, this time taking aim at the West’s electric vehicle (EV) ambitions.

Read more at: https://www.mining.com/web/column-china-ups-critical-minerals-heat-with-graphite-controls/

Tesla’s decision to set up its electric-vehicle facilities in neighbouring Malaysia was a blow to Indonesia’s efforts to lure investments for building an end-to-end EV supply chain ecosystem.

Indonesia’s nickel “downstreaming” policies aim to use the country’s vast nickel reserves and ore production to add value to the EV industry by processing raw ore into higher-grade nickel intermediates. These higher-grade nickel intermediates are essential components used in the production of stainless steel and nickel cobalt manganese-based (NCM) EV batteries.

In terms of attracting investment, Indonesia’s nickel downstreaming policies have produced results. In 2020, the Indonesian government banned the export of raw nickel ore to attract investment, largely in nickel smelters. A year later, the country received downstream investments and commitments from Chinese companies totalling some US$30 billion. As of July 2023, there were already 43 nickel smelters operating, 28 under construction and 24 in the planning stage.

Read more at: https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3238668/indonesias-nickel-sector-can-rebound-tesla-ev-setback-chinese-market-dominance-concern