#Cobalt, a by-product of #Copper and a key ingredient in #Lithium-ion batteries, has seen strong demand due to its use in smartphones and would get a further boost as electric vehicles come to the fore.
The #iPhone maker is seeking contracts to buy several thousand metric tons of cobalt for five years or longer, #Bloomberg reported.
Read more at: https://ca.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idCAKCN1G50M3-OCABS
#Copper and base metals markets are having terrible week, but the rally in the price of #Cobalt shows no signs of fizzling out. The metal quoted on the #LME rose to a fresh 9-year peak of $81,500 a tonne yesterday, a 147% surge since the beginning of 2017.
Read more at: http://www.mining.com/bmw-mining-deals-imminent-cobalt-price-powers-report/
#Graphene Oxide possesses a unique two-dimensional (2-D) honeycombed hydrophobic plane structure and hydrophilic groups, including carboxylic (-COOH) and hydroxyl (-OH) groups on its edge, which determine its excellent antibacterial activity. Among these antibacterial mechanisms, this review summarizes the interactions between GO and the bacterial membrane, especially the significant role of MIEs, including redox reactions with biomolecules, mechanical destruction of membranes, and catalysis of extracellular metabolites. The review also discusses in detail the physicochemical effect of GO on the bacterial membrane, such as phospholipid peroxidation, insertion, wrapping and the trapping effect, lipid extraction, and free radicals induced by GO
Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2018-02-antibacterial-applications-graphene-oxides.html#jCp
#Tanzania-focused flake graphite development company Volt Resources has lodged its mining licence applications for the Bunyu #Graphite project.
Read more at: http://www.miningweekly.com/article/volt-applies-for-its-mining-permits-in-tanzania-2018-02-08
Two key #Southeast #Asian #Nickel ore producers that shaped the market in recent years — the #Philippines and #Indonesia — are poorly placed to take advantage of a boom in battery demand from the growing #ElectricVehicles market.
Read more at: https://www.platts.com/latest-news/metals/singapore/analysis-southeast-asian-nickel-ore-producers-27913382
#Copper overtook gold as the most attractive commodity in 2017, with $1.6 billion in deals representing just shy of 70% of all money flowing into the sector. #Battery metals such as #Lithium, #Cobalt (which is mined as a by-product of #Copper and #Nickel), #Vanadium and #Graphite attracted $175 million from private equity investors according to the report by Bloomberg.
Read more at: http://www.mining.com/private-capital-favours-investing-copper-gold-first-time/
The Democratic Republic of #Congo will seek greater control of the global #Cobalt market by engaging directly with car and battery manufacturers, according to its largest state-owned mining company.
Read more at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-04/asia-stocks-brace-for-selloff-bond-rout-deepens-markets-wrap
#Vanadium has soared more than 130 percent in the past year, outperforming better-known battery components like #Cobalt, #Lithium and #Nickel.
In the future, analysts are expecting a shift in uses of vanadium. The metal can also be used in industrial-scale batteries, which help to even out daily peaks and troughs from renewables like wind energy. The move to green energy could create a new market and start a scramble for supply, according to #BMO Capital Markets.
Read more at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-26/best-performing-battery-metal-of-the-past-year-isn-t-cobalt
#BASF SE is prepared to dig deep, pouring money and expertise into developing materials for #ElectricVehicle batteries to catch up with rivals like #Tesla Inc. supplier #Sumitomo Metals & Mining Co.
#Jinchuan Group Co. expects to raise production of #Nickel sulphate to 70,000 metric tons from 50,000 tons in 2017, Simon Bao, vice general manager of its marketing unit, said in an interview in #Shanghai. The country is already the world’s largest automotive market and sales of new-energy vehicles may hit 1 million in 2018 after topping 700,000 last year, according to manufacturers.
Read more at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-17/china-s-top-nickel-producer-joins-bhp-in-preparing-for-ev-boom
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