Africa is a key contributor to renewable energy ambitions worldwide, with its abundance of minerals vital to the production of lithium-ion batteries.
These batteries are used in mobile telecommunication devices as well as electric vehicles.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) said that by the end of 2021, more than 16 million total electric vehicles had been sold worldwide, with an estimated 6.6 million electric vehicles sold in 2021.
The last edition of the year of the agency World perspectives of the electric vehicle show that more than 10 million electric cars were sold in 2022. Sales by 2023 are expected to grow by 35%.
Some of the key minerals needed to make these batteries are lithium, cobalt, manganese, nickel and graphite.
Research by Nanyang Technological University’s Center for African Studies shows key minerals for lithium-ion batteries are available in “vast quantities” in South Africa (manganese, nickel and platinum), the Democratic Republic of Congo (cobalt), Zimbabwe (lithium), Mozambique. (graphite) and Zambia (copper).
A university report – Electric vehicles: Africa’s battery minerals and global value chain opportunities – said: “While these minerals are mined in Africa, the real value-added work as smelting, refining, cell assembly and ultimately electric vehicle production is done outside the continent.”
“Africa thus misses out on the higher returns from job creation that come from participating in value creation.”
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Where are these minerals found and what are they generally used for?
(According to Brandon S. Tracy, energy policy analyst and author of Critical Minerals in Electric Vehicle Batteries):
lithium
Li (chemical symbol for lithium) is the lightest of all metallic elements, highly reactive and not found in nature in elemental form. It has been used in metallurgy, medicine, and glassware for about 100 years, with more recent uses for military, grease, and cosmetic applications. Lithium has been used in batteries since at least 1935.
The top producer of lithium from brine is Chile and the top producer of lithium from pegmatites is Australia. Ghana’s recent discovery of “commercial quantities” of lithium, used in mobile phones and electric vehicles (EVs), should be used to improve its economy, the country’s Institute for Energy Security (IES) says.
Ghana’s Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) recently announced that it has entered into negotiations on plans to invest up to $30 million in Atlantic Lithium Ltd, an Australian listed mining and exploration company of Australia (ASX).
Currently, lithium production and processing operations are primarily concentrated in Australia, Chile and Brazil.
But there is a new focus on Zimbabwe, which has the largest lithium reserve in Africa and the sixth largest lithium reserve in the world. Zimbabwe is also estimated to have the largest number of lithium mining projects under exploration on the African continent.
Cobalt
Co (chemical symbol for cobalt) is used in many applications, including batteries, superalloys, cutting tools, magnetic alloys, animal feed additives, binding agents, industrial catalysts, paint drying agents, and glass decolorizers , others.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is estimated to have the highest cobalt mineral production in the world (120,000 metric tons); Total global production is estimated at 170,000 metric tons.
manganese
Mn (chemical symbol for manganese) has an average concentration in the Earth’s crust of about 1,000 parts per million, with concentrations that vary greatly between different rock types. By 2021, South Africa is estimated to have the highest manganese mineral production worldwide (7.4 million metric tons); Total global production is estimated at 20 million metric tons.
A recent report focusing on manganese mining in South Africa said demand for manganese products used in batteries could increase ninefold by 2030 due to increased production of electric vehicles and higher amounts of manganese used for batteries. “South Africa’s manganese ore production grows to account for around 50% of the world’s additional manganese ore production over the next decade.”
nickel
Ni (chemical symbol for nickel) is found in the Earth’s upper continental crust at an average concentration of about 44 parts per million. Nickel is mainly used in stainless steel; in alloys (for its corrosion resistance), coinage, plating, chemicals and batteries.
Indonesia is estimated to have the highest mineral production of nickel (1 million metric tons); Total global production is estimated at 2.7 million metric tons.
graphite
Carbon can occur naturally as – or transform into – a crystalline structure called graphite. Natural graphite and synthetic graphite are pure forms of carbon.
Graphite is used in many applications, including electronics, lubricants, metallurgy, steelmaking, fuel cells, batteries, and high-strength lightweight composite applications.
Natural graphite is typically used in most applications, including electric vehicle batteries, due to its cost advantage.
China is estimated to have the world’s highest production of natural graphite (820,000 metric tons); Total global production is estimated at 1,000,000 metric tons.
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In his report, Tracy said lithium-ion batteries are the dominant type of rechargeable battery used in electric vehicles.
“The most commonly used varieties are lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), lithium manganese oxide (LMO), lithium iron phosphate (LFP), lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA ) and lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC).
“EV batteries play an important role in EVs, and the complexity and mineral content of EV batteries is reflected in the cost of the battery. Some estimates place the cost of an electric vehicle battery between 30% and 33% of the total cost of a vehicle, with an average cost of $6,300.”
The Nanyang Technological University Center for African Studies report said much of the global reserves of critical minerals needed to make electric vehicle batteries are in the DRC, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia and South – africa
“With extensive graphite reserves in Mozambique and Tanzania, there is no reason why refined graphite should not be similarly produced in these African countries.
“In the case of manganese, South Africa, which accounts for a significant portion of the world’s reserves, already has demonstrable refining capacity. But it still exports more than 80% of its manganese ore for profit overseas.”
Reference
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Calls for African nations and organizations to tap into their mineral wealth are growing louder
Together, the continent contributes substantially to the world’s annual production of six key minerals: 80% of platinum, 77% of cobalt, 51% of manganese, 46% of diamonds, 39% of chromium and 22% of gold.
The African Development Bank Group (ADB) said the continent “must use all its comparative advantages”.
“Too often governments fail to take advantage of this natural potential to mobilize resources.”
The DRC accounts for approximately 70% of the world’s cobalt supply and 88% of cobalt exports.
Cobalt represents 26% of the DRC’s exports.
