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The outlook for greener transportation got a boost this year as the #UK joined #France and #Norway in saying it would ban fossil-fuel car sales in coming decades. That’s as #Volvo AB announced plans to abandon the combustion engine and #Tesla Inc. unveiled its latest, cheaper Model 3. Such vehicles will outsell their petroleum-driven equivalents within two decades, #Bloomberg New Energy Finance estimates.

Read more at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-02/electric-car-revolution-is-shaking-up-the-biggest-metals-markets

#SEOUL (#Reuters) – Soaring #Cobalt prices are prompting #Asia’s top battery makers to tweak the recipe for #Lithium-ion batteries used to power electric cars and mobile phones – reducing the amount of #Cobalt and adding more #Nickel.

Read more at: http://in.reuters.com/article/southkorea-battery-cobalt-idINKBN1AJ0SC

#RIO DE JANEIRO — #Brazilian miner #Vale SA (VALE5.SA) said on Thursday it would seek out fresh #Copper mining options and stop expanding #Nickel production capacity after second-quarter net income plunged on forex losses, rising costs and weaker iron ore prices.

Read more at: http://www.thesudburystar.com/2017/07/28/copper-in-nickel-out–vale

 

Mr. Trump has discussed the country’s mineral deposits with President Ashraf Ghani, who promoted mining as an economic opportunity in one of their first conversations. Mr. Trump, who is deeply skeptical about sending more American troops to Afghanistan, has suggested that this could be one justification for the United States to stay engaged in the country.

Read more at: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/25/world/asia/afghanistan-trump-mineral-deposits.html?_r=0

The #Indonesian Resources Studies (IRESS) has revealed that 11 smelters were closed following the relaxation of concentrate exports by the government as miners prefer to directly export their products.

Read more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/07/20/11-smelters-closed-after-relaxation-of-concentrate-exports.html

The $17.3M charging network, which will be installed in #Ontario and #Manitoba, will allow drivers to charge their zero-emission cars in about 20 minutes.

Read more at: http://business.financialpost.com/transportation/fast-charging-stations-for-electric-vehicles-coming-to-trans-canada-highway/wcm/d28236c5-6904-4e2e-b89f-9d505ad79030

In a new study published in Materials Today Energy, the researchers have shown that they can use CO₂ and solar thermal energy to produce high yields of millimeter-length carbon nanotube (CNT) wool at a cost of just $660 per ton. The market value of long CNTs like these—which can be woven into textiles to make metals, cement replacements, and other materials—is currently $100,000-$400,000 per ton.

Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2017-07-co2-emissions-worth-millions.html#jCp

#Tesla has built the world’s current largest battery, which came online in #California in December, #Musk said, adding that the South #Australian battery would be 100 megawatts — enough to power 30,000 homes.

Read more at: https://japantoday.com/category/tech/elon-musk%27s-tesla-to-build-world%27s-largest-battery-in-australia

The winners from the rise of electric vehicles are likely to be the traditional industrial metals.

That’s the best explanation for why miners are sticking for the most part with the same suite of commodities they’ve been digging up for the past few decades. Even if electric-vehicle sales surged to 41 million in 2040 from the about 800,000 expected in 2018, the biggest winners in volume and price terms would probably be boring old exchange-traded aluminum, copper and nickel, according to a report by Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Eily Ong.

Read more at: https://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/articles/2017-07-06/elon-musk-won-t-save-big-mining#footnote-1499253653938

The plant’s production costs are too high for it to be profitable and the outlook is poor.

Last November, Vale said a $US200 million loan from the #French state had reduced the risk of it shutting its multi-billion dollar plant.

The funding offer was announced by the French prime minister #Manuel Valls to help shore up the territory’s economy which is reliant on #Nickel production.

One report said Vale New Caledonia used $US1.3 billion in the past three years and has to be shut down.

Read more at: http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/334444/vale-new-caledonia-faces-review-possible-mothballing