How long does the cobalt last under the endless replacement condition?

Hundreds of years ago, there is a large deposit mining center in the German state of Saxony. A large number of miners are there. Originally common mining operations become extraordinary because of an accident. Because of gases such as sulfur dioxide, arsenic poisoning, so that miners have to terminate the refining metal work. Ironically, the accident makes superstitious people believe that there is a "underground" evil at work. Years later, it was found that the accident "culprit" is not a demon, but cobaltite, which contains cobalt blue ore, known as the kobalt in the middle ages in Europe.

At the beginning of poisoning miners no dedication in vain, they told the world the existence of cobalt in her own body, it is the later the lithium battery the wide range of applications. Referred to as "evil" of cobalt now but beacon, it is indispensable to lithium battery in the metal elements. So we see the global price of cobalt in the high, reserves dwindling. Human intelligence, however, is not found, but in the use and do not rely on. The indications are that cobalt students "favor" is only temporary, substitute for it seems to be no longer distant. Investigate its story, we have from the periodic table...

What kind of role of cobalt plays in power battery?

Cobalt in this let us and love and hate the periodic table of elements is ordinal number 27, belongs to a small metal, has a ferromagnetic, valuable is its chemical properties is stable, will not react with water and air at room temperature. Doug brent (G.B randt), the swedes, who in 1753 isolated from hui cobalt in shallow mei color gray metal, which is regarded as the discoverer of the cobalt, locate the cobalt metal elements and included in the periodic table of elements is a Swedish chemist bergman and Lavoisier, respectively.

About the use of cobalt, historically have not been stopped. The ancient greeks and the Romans used it to make colored glass, in the history of Chinese tang dynasty porcelain color cobalt blue is also a masterpiece. Then in the 20th century, cobalt and their alloys in use in several industrial fields, such as mechanical, chemical,special, etc., we know some of the catalyst, desiccant, pigment, fuel and other cobalt is also presented in the form of compounds. Now, as it were, of cobalt has become a very important strategic metals.

Pulled over some didn't of, should cut to the chase, also is the lithium battery. New energy vehicles through the start, now is not mature in technology, but there has been a clear development direction, on the basis of safety maximize range become a top priority. So we see, byd to improve range abandoned the lithium iron phosphate, favour the ternary lithium battery。

Under this new soil, cobalt has become a decisive factor, at least now. Why say so?

Ternary lithium batteries can be divided into two kinds, one kind is the tesla use aluminum nickel and cobalt (NCA), another is Nissan, BMW use nickel cobalt manganese (sliding), but either way, cobalt in it helped boost the important role of battery energy density. For power battery, the proportion of the nickel does not get special attention, it also gives cobalt "favor" further opportunities.

Why do people love to hate it?

However, the development of things is not so simple! Cobalt resources globally, the total reserves of about 7 million tons, but distribution is very uneven, mainly concentrated in Congo (gold), Australia, Cuba and other countries, the three countries combined accounted for seventy percent of the world. Said here chat a digression, to speed up the extraction of cobalt, Congo (gold) this relatively backward countries employ child labor hand grasp ore mining is very common, tesla and apple downstream of the "big customer" has been to strengthen the management of supply chain, but the effect is not very good, this kind of phenomenon has yet to be banned.

Back to cobalt, cobalt although is widely distributed on a global scale, relative to other metals is not high, but the content is the main associated type in laterite nickel ore deposits, magmatic copper and nickel sulfide deposits and sandstone type copper deposits, if remove these cobalt, the remaining independent cobalt resources only about 17%.In addition to resource issues, and a influence cannot be ignored, that is the influence of The Times. Due to Congo (gold) politics is in a state of instability for a long time, so its mineral export policy, there are a lot of uncertainty in 2007 the Congo (gold) has issued relevant policy limit cobalt ores and the export of primary products.

The application of cobalt in the downstream surge in recent years with the rapid development of new energy vehicles has a direct relationship. Share a set of data, in 2011, the demand of cobalt in the battery is 22500 tons, in 2015, that number rose to 41000 tons, achieved more than eighty percent growth, the Chinese market of battery consumption increment reached more than ninety percent.

, of course, we can't take all of the incremental battery to power battery, 3 c usage in the same small (3 c (Computer) refers to the Computer, Communication (Communication) and consumer electronics (Consumer Electronic) of three kinds of electronic products for short)).But through the following set of data, you can clearly see the development of China's new energy market how horrible.

In 2011, production and sales are 08000 cars in China's new energy, new energy vehicles in 2017, respectively, production and sales reached a staggering 794000 and 777000, nearly 100 times. Place in the world, China's new energy market is unshakable, 2015-2017 China's new energy among the world's first three consecutive annual sales. In accordance with the plan, China's new energy automobile market demand hit the 1 million mark this year, 2020, that number will double to 2 million vehicles.

In short supply and the origin of the two big problems, cause the international price high cobalt. In march this year, the federal open market committee (FOMC) announced that raise interest rates by 25 basis points, the range of target for the federal funds rate rise to 1.50% - 1.75%.As a result, the international commodity prices rebound generally, cobalt price hit a record in recent years, the closed at $94800 a tonne, up 5.8%.

See this situation, many new energy car companies sit not to live, "iron man," musk said in the recently released twitter tesla's cobalt usage will be from the current 3% to 3%.There is no denying the fact that "to cobalt" has become an irreversible trend, then who will be a replacement for cobalt? Let's JieChaEr down to chat!

Will it be replaced? Who will be replaced?

Nickel as a replacement, absolutely belongs to the classic case of "own backyard", together with the survival of the cobalt nickel, the original will be at the risk of nickel a fly kick. At present many battery manufacturers "quietly" changed the formula of battery cathode material proportion, nickel/cobalt/manganese ratio from 6:2:2 to 8:1:1 instead. It power lithium battery, the ratio of the current situation is very clear, are using NCM111, NCM523 before, because the nickel content is not so high, so is to high nickel NCM622, NCM811 and NCA transfer. But note that the adjustment for hardware and software are put forward higher requirements.

In June this year with overseas media reports, Panasonic said it will car for cobalt free battery research and development in the near future." We have lowered the use amount of cobalt, cobalt and hope in the near future, without battery, the current research and development has been in progress." Panasonic battery business, head of the KenjiTamura with analysts said at the meeting. Panasonic's comments, it's easy to let our associate to previously mentioned musk twitter, Panasonic, head of the automotive business YoshioIto also revealed that in addition to try to reduce the battery in the rare metal elements, Panasonic is also trying to sign a contract with the customer, hope to be able to avoid the risk of material rises in price considerably.

Fuel cells can let the battery has a longer range, no doubt on this point. At present a lot of car companies have related technical reserves, independent brands. However, if you want to commercialise fuel cell mass also need to overcome many difficulties, such as technical maturity, effective control of cost and usage scenarios. Modern and Toyota development in the field of fuel cell in a leading position, they will also be the new energy technology is regarded as one of the most important development direction in the future.

Objective, cobalt is entirely replaced also need a long time, but aggressive of replacement on the road has become a fact. Then the key problem is not cobalt can be replaced, but whether to avoid the minimum risk after replacement can continue to enhance the battery energy density at the same time, to pick up the car of new energy power system have more long range. Plus a bit, upstream of metallic ore mining will work health, this question should not be ignored, it is really all the premise of saving energy and environmental protection new energy field.

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