Three Reasons Why Direct Lithium Extraction Could Fuel the Next Decade of EVs

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June 27, 2024 Article & Editing Graphics & Design Why Direct Lithium Extraction Could Power the Next Decade of EVs

Transport is changing, and with more and more EVs zipping through the streets, lithium is fast becoming one of the world’s most critical minerals because of its importance for batteries.

However, mining and refining lithium is complicated, time-consuming, and potentially environmentally damaging. 

So, for this graphic, Visual Capitalist has partnered with EnergyX to explore three reasons why direct lithium extraction (DLE), an efficient method of mining and refining lithium, could help power the next decade of EVs.

1: DLE Cuts Extraction Times

Over 40 million EVs will be sold annually by 2030, over 10 times the amount sold in 2022, placing incredible demand on lithium production.

YearEV Sales Total 20203,158,700 202314,385,660 2025F22,449,800 2030F44,702,000 2035F64,280,000

Typically, extracting a metric ton of lithium takes between 18 and 24 months using conventional methods. However, using direct lithium extraction, the same amount can be sourced in as little as one or two days, making it much more efficient in supplying the lithium to power the next wave of EVs. 

2: DLE Could Bridge the Lithium Supply Gap

The incredible demand placed on the lithium industry could also lead to an over 1.4 million metric ton supply deficit by 2030 if no additional production is brought online.

2030 Supply2030 Demand LCE (million metric tons)1.643.06

EnergyX’s proprietary direct lithium extraction technology, LiTAS™, can increase lithium production by up to 300% over conventional methods and potentially improve lithium supplies. 

3: DLE Improves Battery Capacity

Blocks of lithium batteries power many EVs, so as these vehicles become more advanced and more people drive them, the demand for higher-density lithium batteries will only grow. In fact, between 2022 and 2030, the demand for energy stored by lithium batteries will increase by 27% annually.

YearBattery Demand (GWh) 2022700 20251,700 20304,700

EnergyX’s DLE technology, LiTAS™, which enables lithium metals to be applied directly to a battery’s anode, can significantly improve energy density and pave the way for the

Investors Seek Certainty on Deep-sea Mining

ISA negotiations rumble on in the background, while shareholder dissent and DSM legal challenges are on the rise.  

Despite ongoing regulatory uncertainty, a growing number of investors and NGOs are drawing a line in the sand and challenging companies and governments on deep-sea mining (DSM).   While those in favour of DSM have claimed it is necessary to ensure there are enough critical minerals available to power the energy…

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Visualizing Raw Steel Production in 2023

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June 7, 2024 Article/Editing: Graphics/Design:

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.

Visualizing Raw Steel Production in 2023

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Steel is essential for the economy due to its crucial role in infrastructure, construction, manufacturing, and transportation sectors.

This graphic breaks down the estimated global production of raw steel in 2023. The data was sourced from the U.S. Geological Survey as of January 2024.

China Produces More Than Half the World’s Steel

One major issue facing the steel industry is overcapacity in top producer China.

Steel production in China has surpassed demand in recent years, leading to downward pressure on the profit margins of steel mills worldwide.

Historically, China’s troubled real estate sector has accounted for over one-third of the country’s steel consumption. To address this issue, the Chinese government has mandated steel production cuts since 2021.

Far behind China, India is the second-biggest producer of steel, followed by Japan.

CountryRegion2023 Production (million tonnes) 🇨🇳 ChinaAsia1,000 🇮🇳 IndiaAsia140 🇯🇵 JapanAsia87 🇺🇸 U.S.North America80 🇷🇺 RussiaEurope75 🇰🇷 S. KoreaAsia68 🌍 Rest of World420 Total1,870 Infinite Recyclability

Steel is an alloy primarily composed of iron ore containing less than 2% carbon, 1% manganese, and other trace elements. It is 1,000 times stronger than iron and can be recycled over and over without sacrificing quality.

Steel is widely used in various industries. It is a fundamental material in construction, providing support through beams, internal structures, and roofing.

Moreover, steel’s corrosion-resistant properties make it ideal for water infrastructure. Stainless steel pipes are the preferred choice for underground water systems, ensuring longevity and purity in water transportation.

Additionally, most canned foods are stored in steel containers for preservation, as steel does not rust.

Visualizing Cobalt Production by Country in 2023

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May 31, 2024 Graphics/Design:

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.

Visualizing Cobalt Production by Country in 2023

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Cobalt is a critical mineral used in numerous commercial, industrial, and military applications. In recent years, it has gained attention as it is also necessary for batteries used in cell phones, laptops, and electric vehicles (EVs).

This graphic illustrates estimated cobalt production by country in 2023 in metric tons. The data is from the most recent U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Mineral Commodity Summaries, published in January 2024.

The DRC Produces 74% of Global Cobalt

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) accounts for 74% of the world’s cobalt output. Although the metal is found on a large scale in other parts of the world, like Australia, Europe, and Asia, the African nation holds the biggest reserves by far. Of the 11,000,000 metric tons of worldwide reserves, it is estimated that 6,000,000 metric tons are located in the DRC.

Countrymetric tonsPercentage 🇨🇩 DRC170,00074% 🇮🇩 Indonesia17,0007% 🇷🇺 Russia8,8004% 🇦🇺 Australia4,6002% 🇲🇬 Madagascar4,0002% 🇵🇭 Philippines3,8002% 🌍 Other Countries21,1009% Total229,300100%

Since around 20% of the cobalt mined in the DRC originates from small-scale artisanal mines, often employing child labor, the extraction of the metal has been a point of intense debate. With a long history of conflict, political upheaval, and instability, the country is often listed among the poorest nations in the world.

Today, the EV sector constitutes 40% of the overall cobalt market.

China is the world’s leading consumer of cobalt, with nearly 87% of its consumption used by the lithium-ion battery industry.

In the U.S., 50% of cobalt consumed is used in superalloys, mainly in aircraft gas turbine engines.

Learn More About Critical Minerals From Visual Capitalist

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out The Critical Minerals to China, EU, and U.S. National Security. This visualization shows which minerals are essential to China, the United States, and the European Union.

IoT is Driving Sustainable Battery Surge

Dorian Maillard, Vice President at DAI Magister, explains the challenges and opportunities facing the growing market in efficient, eco-friendly power solutions.

In the expansive landscape of the Internet of Things (IoT), the quest for sustainable power solutions has emerged as a pivotal challenge. With the IoT market forecasted to surpass US$1.6 trillion by 2025, the demand for efficient power solutions has become increasingly pressing. However, the reliance on traditional batteries poses significant environmental and logistical hurdles, driving the imperative for sustainable alternatives.

The IoT market’s exponential growth, fuelled by advancements in connectivity, sensor technologies and data analytics, underscores the critical importance of sustainable power solutions. With over 75 billion connected devices projected to be in operation within the next decade, the reliance on conventional batteries is unsustainable in the long run. The proliferation of IoT devices, ranging from smart home gadgets to industrial sensors, has led to an unprecedented surge in battery consumption. The sheer number of batteries being utilised not only presents challenges in terms of resource depletion but also raises concerns about the environmental impact of battery disposal.

Rising demand for alternatives

Certain sectors within the IoT industry stand out as particularly in need of alternative battery solutions. For instance, industries such as healthcare, where continuous monitoring devices are extensively used, require reliable and long-lasting power sources to ensure uninterrupted operation. Moreover, in industrial settings, where sensors and monitoring devices are deployed in harsh environments and remote locations, sustainable battery alternatives can reduce maintenance costs and enhance operational efficiency. Additionally, in the realm of smart agriculture, where IoT devices are employed for precision farming and environmental monitoring, sustainable power solutions are essential to enable data-driven decision-making and optimise resource utilisation.

Despite efforts to recycle batteries, the process remains inefficient and often results in hazardous waste. Improper disposal of batteries can lead to soil and water contamination, posing risks to ecosystems and human health. In addition, the reliance on finite and environmentally damaging resources, such as lithium and cobalt, further exacerbates the sustainability issue. As the global demand for batteries continues to escalate, concerns over resource depletion, environmental degradation and geopolitical tensions surrounding resource extraction intensify.

The transition to sustainable battery alternatives is not only a matter of environmental responsibility but also a strategic imperative for ensuring the long-term viability of IoT deployments. By reducing reliance on conventional batteries, organisations can mitigate environmental risks, enhance operational efficiency, and contribute

Ranked: The World’s Largest Lithium Producers in 2023

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May 23, 2024 Graphics/Design:

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The World’s Largest Lithium Producers in 2023

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Three countries—Australia, Chile, and China—accounted for 88% of lithium production in 2023.

In this graphic, we list the world’s leading countries in terms of lithium production. These figures come from the latest USGS publication on lithium statistics (published Jan 2024).

Australia Leads, China Approaches Chile

Australia, the world’s leading producer, extracts lithium directly from hard-rock mines, specifically from the mineral spodumene.

The country saw a big jump in output over the last decade. In 2013, Australia produced 13,000 metric tons of lithium, compared to 86,000 metric tons in 2023.

RankCountryLithium production 2023E (metric tons) 1🇦🇺 Australia86,000 2🇨🇱 Chile44,000 3🇨🇳 China33,000 4🇦🇷 Argentina9,600 5🇧🇷 Brazil4,900 6🇨🇦 Canada3,400 7🇿🇼 Zimbabwe3,400 8🇵🇹 Portugal380 🌍 World Total184,680

Chile is second in rank but with more modest growth. Chilean production rose from 13,500 tonnes in 2013 to 44,000 metric tons in 2023. Contrary to Australia, the South American country extracts lithium from brine.

China, which also produces lithium from brine, has been approaching Chile over the years. The country increased its domestic production from 4,000 metric tons in 2013 to 33,000 last year.

Chinese companies have also increased their ownership shares in lithium producers around the globe; three Chinese companies are also among the top lithium mining companies. The biggest, Tianqi Lithium, has a significant stake in Greenbushes, the world’s biggest hard-rock lithium mine in Australia.

Argentina, the fourth country on our list, more than tripled its production over the last decade and has received investments from other countries to increase its output.

With all the top producers increasing output to cover the demand from the clean energy industry, especially for electric vehicle (EV) batteries, the lithium market has seen a surplus recently, which caused prices to collapse by more than 80% from a late-2022 record high.

Visualized: A Decade of Clean Energy Investment

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May 21, 2024 Graphics & Design Visualized: A Decade of Clean Energy Investment

Global energy investment is growing every year. But recently, investments in clean energy have been significantly outpacing investments in fossil fuels.

For this graphic, we partnered with EnergyX to explore how global energy investment has changed and learn how investments in clean energy are starting to pay off for their investors.

The Rise of Sustainable Energy Investment

Propelled by various climate initiatives such as the Paris Agreement and the widespread adoption of EVs, global investment in sustainable energy surged to over $1.7 trillion in 2023, the highest ever, and the IEA projects that this growth could continue:

Energy Product20202021202220232030F Clean Electrification$0.97T$1.05$1.21T$1.34T$1.65T Low-Emission Fuels$0.01T$0.01$0.01T$0.02T$0.05T Energy Efficiency$0.28T$0.35$0.39T$0.38T$0.49T Clean Energy Total$1.26T$1.41T$1.61T$1.74T$2.19T Natural Gas$0.26T$0.27T$0.31T$0.32T$0.35T Oil$0.42T$0.48T$0.52T$0.55T$0.60T Coal$0.16T$0.16T$0.18T$0.18T$0.11T Fossil Fuel Total$0.84T$0.91T$1.01T$1.05T$1.06T Total Energy Investment$2.10T$2.32T$2.62T$2.79T$3.25T

Between 2020 and 2030, global investment in sustainable energy could increase by 74% to nearly $2.2 trillion, compared to just 26% additional investment in fossil fuels, with a forecast total of $1.06 trillion. This shows that sustainability is the future of energy investment. 

Sustainable Investor Success Stories

While the growing investments in clean energy show that the world embraces sustainability, energy investors will still look for decent returns. Now, in 2024, clean energy investments are beginning to bear fruit. Here are just a few examples:     

Between 2019 and 2023, Tesla had a cumulative return of 1,073%  NextEra Energy’s quarterly dividend increased by over 10% as of February 2024 Investors in EnergyX have 10x’ed their investments since the company’s first offering in 2021

Lithium plays a critical role in powering electric vehicles (EVs) and facilitating the transition to sustainable energy. EnergyX has patented technology that enhances lithium extraction rates by up to 300%, contributing to meeting the growing demand for lithium and fueling the EVs of the future.

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Mining Linked to Human Rights Abuses

Investors, companies urged are being urged to increase their focus on the social impacts of the climate-critical sector.

Investors, companies urged are being urged to increase their focus on the social impacts of the climate-critical sector.  Natural minerals underground are essential to the world’s energy transition, but new research has found that their extraction was linked to a surge in human rights-related abuses by mining companies.   International NGO…

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The Biggest Salt Producing Countries in 2023

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May 13, 2024 Article/Editing: Graphics/Design:

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.

The Biggest Salt Producing Countries in 2023

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Humanity has utilized salt for thousands of years, dating back to ancient civilizations. The U.S. alone consumes more than 48 million tonnes of salt per year.

In this graphic, we break down global salt production in 2023, measured in tonnes. These estimates come from the U.S. Geological Survey’s latest commodity report on salt.

Ample Supply

Salt is essential for human life, serving various purposes including food preservation, flavor enhancement, industrial processes, and health maintenance. The good news is that the world’s continental resources of salt are vast, and the salt content in the oceans is nearly unlimited.

China is currently the top producer of salt, with almost 20% of the output, followed by the U.S. (15%) and India (11%).

CountryProduction (tonnes) 🇨🇳 China53,000,000 🇺🇸 United States42,000,000 🇮🇳 India30,000,000 🇩🇪 Germany15,000,000 🇦🇺 Australia14,000,000 🇨🇦 Canada12,000,000 🇨🇱 Chile9,200,000 🇲🇽 Mexico9,000,000 🇹🇷 Turkey9,000,000 🇷🇺 Russia7,000,000 🇧🇷 Brazil6,600,000 Rest of world67,000,000 Global total273,800,000

The global salt market was valued at $32.6 billion in 2022.

It’s projected to grow from $34.1 billion in 2023 to $48.6 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 5.2% during the forecast period. This suggests a surprising amount of growth for what is one of the world’s oldest and most common commodities.

Facts About the U.S. Salt Industry

In the U.S., salt is produced by 25 companies, which operate 63 plants across 16 states.

The states that produce the most salt are Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Texas, and Utah. Altogether, these states account for 95% of domestic production.

The primary uses of salt in the U.S. are highway de-icing (41%), chemical production (38%), and food processing (10%).

Visualizing Copper Production by Country in 2023

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55 mins ago

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May 10, 2024 Graphics/Design:

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Visualizing Copper Production by Country in 2023

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Copper is considered an essential metal for the clean energy transition because it is a great conductor of electricity.

As a result, governments around the world have been encouraging the construction of new mines, and mining companies have been seeking new projects and acquiring existing mines to meet the growing demand.

In this graphic, we illustrate global copper production in 2023, based on data from the U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, as of January 2024.

Most Copper Comes from South America

Chile and Peru account for one-third of the world’s copper output.

CountryRegion2023E Production
(Million tonnes) 🇨🇱 ChileSouth America5.0 🇵🇪 PeruSouth America2.6 🇨🇩 Congo (Kinshasa)Africa2.5 🇨🇳 ChinaAsia1.7 🇺🇸 United StatesNorth America1.1 🇷🇺 RussiaEurope/Asia0.9 🇦🇺 AustraliaOceania0.8 🇮🇩 IndonesiaAsia0.8 🇿🇲 ZambiaAfrica0.8 🇲🇽 MexicoNorth America0.7 🇰🇿 KazakhstanAsia0.6 🇨🇦 CanadaNorth America0.5 🇵🇱 PolandEurope0.4 🌍 Rest of World–3.1 World total (rounded)–21.5

Chile is also home to the two largest mines in the world, Escondida and Collahuasi.

Meanwhile, African countries have rapidly increased their production. The Democratic Republic of Congo, for example, transitioned from being a secondary copper producer in the late 1990s to becoming the third-largest producer by 2023.

Part of the growth in copper mining in Africa is attributed to high investment from China. Chinese mining companies represent 8% of Africa’s total output in the mining sector.

Within its territory, China has also seen a 277% growth in copper production over the last three decades.

In the U.S., Arizona is the leading copper-producing state, accounting for approximately 70% of domestic output. Copper is also mined in Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.