On September 21, 2023, the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA convened a roundtable during Climate Week NYC to discuss challenges of expanding lithium supply for the energy transition. [2] Demand in the lithium market is growing by 250,000–300,000 tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (tLCE) per year, or about half of the total lithium supply in 2021. However, representatives from lithium mining companies said uncertainty in the market and geopolitical and domestic political tensions are barriers to increased production. [16]Finally, an expert from a battery recycling company stated that lithium-ion battery recycling is currently only economically feasible for nickel-based lithium-ion batteries like NMC and nickel-aluminum-cobalt battery chemistries in the United States. [5] Natasha Frost, “Australia Tries to Break Its Dependence on China for Lithium Mining,” New York Times, May 23, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/23/business/australia-lithium-refining.html.

Source: New York Times January 12, 2024 18:22 UTC