A Blog for Browsing Mining, Mineral Processing, and Metals Info

#BASF and PJSC MMC #Norilsk Nickel (Nornickel) announced today that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding and entered exclusive negotiations to cooperate on the supply of raw materials for future battery materials production for #Lithium-ion batteries in #Europe. BASF intends to invest up to EUR400 million in a first step to build industry-leading production plants for cathode materials in Europe. Through the prospective agreement, BASF would receive the raw materials from the #Nornickel metal refinery in Harjavalta, #Finland. Nornickel would also provide a secure supply of #Nickel and #Cobalt feedstock from its #Russian mines at market prices. Along with its leading raw materials position, Nornickel also brings significant metals refining and trading experience to the cooperation.

Read more at: http://www.lse.co.uk/regulatory-news-article.asp?ArticleCode=s2qjjplt&ArticleHeadline=MMC_Norilsk_Nickel_BASF_and_Norilsk_Nickel_enter_exclusive_negotiations_to_cooperate_on_raw_material_supply_for_battery_materials_production_in_Europe

Researchers from the #US and #China have made progress in their joint collaboration on the use of #Lithium to control plasma within experimental nuclear fusion reactors.

Read more at: http://english.cas.cn/newsroom/research_news/201706/t20170623_178648.shtml

Nanotechnologists from #RiceUniversity and #China’s Tianjin University have used 3-D laser printing to fabricate centimeter-sized objects of atomically thin #Graphene.

The new Rice process used a commercially available CO2 laser. When this laser was shone onto the sugar and #Nickel powder, the sugar was melted and the nickel acted as a catalyst. #Graphene formed as the mixture cooled after the laser had moved on to melt sugar in the next spot.

Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2017-06-chemists-d-graphene-foam.html#jCp

The NEV (new energy vehicles) credit scheme encourages #Chinese auto manufacturers to improve the fuel efficiency of internal combustion cars and promote the production of electric vehicles.

“We remain cautious that policy will immediately translate to Chinese consumer uptake, but in conjunction with the slower ramp of new entrants, we see a supply deficit extending to the early 2020s,” #Macquarie said.

The analysts said demand drivers for #Lithium and #Cobalt, such as Chinese Government policy and commitments to build more electric vehicles from the big car manufacturers, were firming. “Meanwhile, new supply from both incumbents and new hopefuls is taking longer than expected to eventuate and the time scale of a deficit looks likely to extend,” they said.

Read more at: https://thewest.com.au/business/mining/macquarie-stumbles-with-backflip-on-lithium-outlook-ng-b88512864z

For fusion to generate substantial energy, the ultra-hot plasma that fuels fusion reactions must remain stable and kept from cooling. Researchers have recently shown #Lithium, a soft, silver-white metal, to be effective in both respects during path-setting #US – #Chinese experiments on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting #Tokamak (EAST) in Hefei, #China. Leading the U.S. collaboration is the U.S. Department of Energy’s (#DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), together with co-principal investigators Los Alamos and Oak Ridge National Laboratories, with Johns Hopkins University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Scientists from General Atomics also participate via a separate grant.

Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2017-06-us-china-collaboration-excellent-optimizing-lithium.html#jCp

GKN Sinter Metals reports that it has developed 20MnCr5, a new low carbon alloy steel intended for metal additive manufacturing (AM).

The case-hardened material has will be used to build prototypes for gears and has a high strength with ductility, high fatigue strength, wear resistance through case hardening and inherent toughness.

Read more at: http://www.materialstoday.com/additive-manufacturing/products/gkn-sinter-metals-introduces-new-alloy-steel

The newly designed computer system used carbon spintronic as a logic gate in the circuit design. The carbon spintronic acts as a switch to control electron movement, similar to the transistors function in the current computer system.

Read more at: http://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/16735/20170606/engineer-university-texas-dallas-designs-computer-system-made-solely-carbon.htm

A battle is heating up for control of a bankrupt mine that is the only significant #US source of the #RareEarth elements used in advanced electronics and some defence applications.

A group led by a former nursing home operator and #Switzerland-based private equity fund will vie with a team of US hedge funds and a #Chinese rare earths company in an auction set to decide the fate of the bankrupt #Molycorp-owned mine on June 14.

Read more at: https://www.ft.com/content/2c3dea3e-3fc2-11e7-82b6-896b95f30f58

Tri Alpha Energy the world’s largest and most advanced private fusion company pioneering an innovative approach to clean #FusionEnergy, is pleased to announce Dr. Ernest Moniz, distinguished physicist and the 13th #US Secretary of Energy, as the newest member of its Board of Directors.

Read more at: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/former-us-energy-secretary-ernest-moniz-joins-board-of-directors-for-fusion-energy-leader-tri-alpha-energy-300459608.html

#Chile’s #SQM said it was planning to expand its production of critical rechargeable battery ingredient #Lithium, as demand continues to rocket on the back of its increased use in electric vehicles and mobile phones.

SQM has access to vast mineral reserves in the so-called ‘lithium triangle’ in Chile and #Argentina and is one of the world’s leading producers of the material.

Read more at: http://www.reuters.com/article/sqm-results-idUSL2N1IK0RP