Lithium Related Media Articles, page-22036

A couple things to take from the picture posted as I have seen it in a couple of forums:

For ease of reference I will repost the picture her:




1. It is not complete and one needs to understand the * in it (see the picture).

2. For 60kWh battery I have seen higher estimates than a 6kg lithium metal need so I guess a key to the pic is the actual battery type to, so I suggest the number is closer to 10kg to achieve 60kWh. Some further estimates in Post #:66330003 which explains this view. 6 kg lithium metal is equivalent to a battery size in EVs of about 35kWh (6 * 5.3)/0.9, whilst 10kg is equivalent to a battery size of 59kWh. I suspect the 6kg is coming from an assumption that it is 0.53 kg LCE per kWh - not correct but in time might see greater efficiency and might get towards say 0.7kg LCE per kWh, as theoretical efficiency of lithium is 0.371 kg LCE per kWh as I posted in Post #: 68252934 where these numbers come from.

3. The picture also masks some other errors. Take graphite, despite it having a large share in a battery its input cost is actually significantly less than the input cost of lithium in that battery. Be mindful, lithium in the above is also reported as a metal, so you need to times that 6kg by 5.9 (90% recovery - above using 100% recovery by the way) to get to LCE feedstock and then times that by 7.5 (90% recovery - or 8 if using 85% recovery) to get to 6% spodumene concentrate feedstock to produce the LCE. If recovery is lower need more feedstock. Some data below in terms of lithium and graphite only:

a. Input cost of lithium in batteries: Post #:66330003 This post explains how much value lithium has in a battery.

b. Input cost of graphite in batteries: Post #:66724229and Post #:66719548

These posts do the apple to apple conversions so one can understand the input cost of graphite in batteries, compared to lithium. Graphite has a much lower input cost than lithium - obviously since those posts prices have eased although I see that as a short term issue.

All IMO IMO IMO