Category Archives: Technology

#China’s breakthrough in solid-state battery technology – double the energy density on a 3-minute charge

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A laboratory setup featuring a cross-section view of a battery cell with labeled components including lithium metal, solid electrolyte argyrodite separator, aluminum foil, copper foil, and NMC cathode. In the background, a researcher is working at a microscope with various scientific instruments and notes visible on the table.

Researchers are continually attempting to advance the technology behind solid-state batteries, and China seems to be leading the charge. Following a breakthrough that packs more energy into the same size battery, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences may have developed a powerful new solid-state battery that provides impressive energy density, can be charged ultra-fast, and overcomes common concerns with this battery type. As its name suggests, solid-state batteries leverage solid electrolytes, or materials, to conduct ions between electrodes, versus the liquid or gel polymer materials used in conventional batteries, potentially offering improved performance and safety.

The team reports a solid-state lithium-metal battery with a density of 451.5 watt-hours per kilogram, which is more than double what commercial lithium iron phosphate EV battery cells can achieve. Moreover, it maintained “stable cycling” for 700 cycles with an 81.9 percent capacity retention. In other words, it’s powerful enough to hold a significant charge, can be replenished ultra-fast in three-minute sessions, and maintains its power capacity over many cycles. According to the researchers, they achieved this with a “compatibilizing-solvent plasticization” strategy that introduces a solvent to improve compatibility between the polymer and stable plasticizers.

The researchers basically stabilized and strengthened the electrolytes

The study suggests that “conventional plasticizers” used in PVDF electrolytes — a type of polymer used in advanced batteries — has poor electrochemical instability. Using the “compatibilizing-solvent plasticization” strategy the researchers essentially create a film — a lithium-fluoride-rich interfacial layer — that keeps the plasticizers locked into the polymer network. They use a temporary volatile solvent, acetone, to boost compatibility, which evaporates during the film’s formation. This discovery could lead to more practical designs of lithium-metal batteries that exhibit the high energy density, for more power storage, and fast-charging support demonstrated in the study. That would have huge implications for EV technologies, vastly improving their overall range.

Although research has advanced in recent years — solid-state battery power banks are already here — they still pose quite a few challenges. Dense solid-state batteries are plagued by high-current metallic cracks called dendrites, which cause short circuiting or worse. So while there’s still advancements to be made with solid-state batteries, it’s easy to see that battery technology research is moving at a good pace. China’s new all-iron battery might beat lithium options at a fraction of the cost, while nuclear batteries could change everything we know about portable power, if they come to pass.

Quad members (#US, #Japan, #Australia and #India) unveil $20bn #CriticalMinerals initiative

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A visually engaging graphic depicting the planet Earth with highlighted continents, featuring the flags of India, Japan, the United States, and Australia. The design emphasizes connections between these countries, labeled 'Critical Minerals QUAD Members,' with glowing effects and illustrations of network lines.

The US, Japan, Australia and India have unveiled a $20 billion framework to strengthen critical minerals supplies as Washington continues to seek ways to loosen China’s stronghold.

The four Quad partners said they intend to raise up to $20 billion in public and private sector support to boost critical minerals supply chains that includes mining, processing and recycling by identifying projects in member countries.

“Through the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative, Quad partners intend to work together to use economic policy tools and co-ordinated investment to accelerate the development of diversified and fair critical mineral markets. and support the supply of critical minerals that are crucial to our region’s economic growth and security,” the members said in a statement.e 

Monday’s announcement followed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to India, where he and Quad foreign ministers also announced initiatives to strengthen maritime and transnational security, emerging technology and humanitarian assistance.

Under the critical minerals agreement, the Quad partners said they would support strategic projects through export credit agencies, private capital, development financial institutions, and explore new ways to raise private capital in the critical minerals space.

Critical minerals are used to produce advanced technology, defence systems, electric vehicles and other technologies in the clean energy transition.

Read more at: The National News

#EU seeks to rebalance trade relationship with #China

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The European Union must rebalance its trade relationship with China, EU officials said Friday, as Brussels sharpens its focus on economic ties with Beijing.

The EU’s trade deficit with China reached approximately €360 billion ($418 billion) last year, increasing pressure within the bloc to address the growing imbalance.

EU officials emphasized that while openness to trade remains a core European value, there is a clear need to create a fairer and more balanced trading relationship with China.

The European Commission is expected to hold discussions next week on how the 27-member bloc should approach China to ensure more equal trade conditions. A potential visit by China’s commerce minister to Brussels later next month is also being considered.

European leaders are set to further discuss EU-China trade relations during a summit in Brussels on June 18 and 19.

Trade ministers meeting in Brussels highlighted the importance of maintaining strong economic ties with China, while also stressing the need to reduce strategic dependencies and strengthen Europe’s economic resilience.

Particular concern has centered on rare earth minerals after China imposed export restrictions last year, exposing Europe’s heavy reliance on Chinese supplies. China remains the world’s leading producer of rare earth elements.

In response to ongoing trade tensions, the EU has introduced measures aimed at protecting its market from what it considers unfair Chinese competition, including additional levies on small parcels imported from China.

Source: CANADIAN AFFAIRS

#CriticalMetals Inks 15-Year #Greenland #RareEarth Deal With #REalloys

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Critical Metals said it has ⁠signed a 15-year binding offtake agreement with ​REalloys for rare earth concentrate from its Tanbreez project ‌in Greenland.

Under the agreement, ‌REalloys will buy 15% of annual ⁠rare earth ⁠concentrate production from the project, which is one ​of the world’s largest known heavy rare earth deposits.

• ​The agreement formalizes and expands on a non-binding ⁠deal signed ⁠by the companies ⁠last ​October.

• It also follows Greenland’s approval in April for Critical ​Metals to ⁠increase its ownership in the project to 92.5%.

• Critical Metals said the deal strengthens the commercial outlook for the Tanbreez project as it moves ⁠toward production.

• REalloys will receive priority rights to concentrate containing ⁠higher levels of the critical heavy rare earth elements, dysprosium and terbium, along with a right of first refusal over additional volumes.

• Deliveries will be made from the Tanbreez port in southern Greenland, with pricing linked to international rare earth oxide benchmarks.

• United States ⁠and its allies have stepped up efforts to secure supplies of critical minerals outside China, which dominates much of the global rare earth ​processing industry.

Source: U.S.News

The #Pentagon Wants 300,000 #Drones But #China Controls The Magnets

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A modern manufacturing facility showcasing equipment for extracting rare earth elements, with workers in safety gear preparing for drone production. The background features a sunset view with a city skyline.

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The Pentagon recently placed the largest drone order in American history — 30,000 one-way attack drones, with plans to scale past 300,000 by early 2028. There’s one major problem: every one of those drones runs on a rare earth magnet. And according to Goldman Sachs, roughly 98% of the world’s magnets are manufactured in China.

That’s the dilemma REalloys has spent years building to solve. The company holds the only fully non-Chinese “mine to magnet” heavy rare earth supply chain in North America — from processed metals to finished alloys to the magnet-ready inputs that defense contractors actually need.

Read more at: The Globe and Mail

#US Needs Another Decade to Fix $1.2 Trillion #RareEarth Crisis

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A digital artwork depicting a split scene featuring the White House on the left and a futuristic city skyline on the right, with heavy text overlay discussing heavy rare earth elements dysprosium and terbium, alongside a theme of contrasting colors and visuals.

For the past year, President Donald Trump has waged a campaign to break America’s dependence on the rare earths that remain Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s unbeatable leverage over the global economy.

From White House meetings to boardroom negotiations, US officials and their allies around the world have poured billions of dollars into mining, refining and other industrial facilities. While Beijing’s might was amassed over decades, Trump pledged last November that ending US reliance on rare earths would take just 18 months.

Yet the ones that matter most remain out of reach.

China’s chokehold is likely to loosen on some of the more abundant light rare earths used in a huge proportion of consumer electronics by the end of this decade. But when it comes to some of the key so-called heavy rare earths — essential for high-performance magnets and military technologies and targeted by China’s export curbs last year — Beijing’s dominance will likely persist longer, until at least the mid-2030s, according to projections and data supplied to Bloomberg from three critical mineral consultancies.

For two of the most important elements, dysprosium and terbium, countries outside of China will still meet less than a fifth of demand by 2035, according to data from one of those consultancies, McKinsey & Co. CRU Group and Benchmark Mineral Intelligence offered similar projections and interpretations.

Read more at: Bloomberg

Carbonyl Iron Powder — Part of the Smart Materials Shaping the Future Part III

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#Nickel associations of #Indonesia, #Philippines sign agreement on cooperation

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The nickel associations of Indonesia and the Philippines on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding on nickel cooperation, Indonesia’s coordinating ministry of economics said.

The agreement includes the exchange of information, joint development of nickel downstream processing technology, and human resource development to support a sustainable nickel industry ecosystem, the ministry said.

The signing was witnessed by Indonesia’s chief economics minister and the Philippines’ trade and industry minister.

“The Philippines will no longer be only an exporter of raw nickel ore as it will be integrated into a higher-value regional supply chain, while Indonesia will secure a reliable supply for its battery and stainless industries,” Philippines’ trade and industry minister said.

Indonesia exported $9.73 billion of nickel products last year, Airlangga said, adding that smelters in Indonesia required supplies with the proper silicon-to-magnesium ratio which can be supplied by the Philippines.

Source: Mining.com

#Japan tackles challenges of seafloor #RareEarth mining, eyeing economic security

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An underwater scene featuring a deep-sea mining vehicle near Japan, with the Japanese flag in the background. The text highlights Japan's advancements in deep-sea technology, referencing a depth of 6,000 meters.

Japan’s government is taking on the challenge of mining critical minerals, including rare earths, from the seabed around Minamitorishima, a remote Japanese island in the Pacific, with an eye to realizing domestic rare earth production in the future.

Securing such minerals is a matter of vital importance for Japan, which is poor in natural resources. In February of this year, the country succeeded in a test collection of rare earth-bearing mud at a depth of 6,000 meters below sea level near the island, which is in the Tokyo village of Ogasawara.

While commercialization is being targeted for 2028 at the earliest, the government faces the challenge of striking a balance between the importance of the mining for economic security and its economic viability.

Rich mineral resources are believed to lie in the ocean floor around Minamitorishima. Cobalt-rich crusts and manganese nodules have been found there. Cobalt and manganese are used for electric vehicle batteries.

Furthermore, the presence of mud containing scarce and expensive heavy rare earth elements, such as neodymium and dysprosium, has also been confirmed, and development is being promoted under government leadership. Neodymium and dysprosium are needed for high-performance motors used in EVs and wind power generators.

“We have promoted technical development over the years to make the world’s first attempt” at deep-sea rare earth mining, said Shoichi Ishii, an official at the Cabinet Office who is leading the rare earth-rich mud development project.

Read more at: Japan Times

#China didn’t just win #RareEarths — It eliminated the competition. REalloys thinks it is here to stay.

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Industrial facility for rare earth processing with operators, showcasing advanced equipment and technology in Ohio, featuring flags of Canada and the USA.

China’s most effective weapon in the rare earth war wasn’t a missile, a tariff, or a trade embargo. It was a price tag.

For more than two decades, Beijing has used a remarkably simple strategy to maintain its stranglehold on the global rare earth supply chain: whenever a Western company would get serious about building an independent processing capability, China would act to crash prices. And the result is generally the same: the investment case falls apart, the funding disappears, and the company folds. China’s monopoly survives another cycle.

REalloys, a North American rare earth processor with an operational facility in Ohio and a processing partnership in Saskatchewan, may be the first company positioned to break that pattern…and the reasons why have very little to do with the market and everything to do with how the rules have changed.

How China Won the Rare Earth War Without Firing a Shot

The West handed its rare earth processing capability to China roughly 40 years ago. The last major U.S. rare earth mine, Mountain Pass in California, closed in 2002, unable to compete with Chinese production costs. By 2010, China controlled approximately 90-95% of global rare earth production and an even larger share of the processing and refining that turns raw material into usable metals and magnets.

But dominance alone wasn’t enough. China seemingly sought to make sure no one else could challenge that dominance. How they pulled it off was surprisingly simple: a pricing benchmark called the Asian Metal Index, or AMI.

The AMI is a wholly Chinese-owned and controlled pricing index. For years, it served as the global benchmark for rare earth pricing. And because China controlled both the supply and the index, Beijing had the ability to set prices at whatever level served its strategic interests.

Read more at: Finance.Yahoo.com

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