ARTICLES
Australian Companies should develop a Lithium Industry (continued)
unprocessed lithium is earning comparatively little for Australia,
the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies estimates
that while the global lithium battery supply chain was worth
US$165Bn in 2017 it has the potential to reach US$2 trillion by
2025!
the industry has the potential to generate up to $2.5Bn in direct
economic benefits for the Australian economy over the next 15
years, so FBICRC is working with industry and government to
develop the industry in Australia from the mere raw-materials
stage to include refining, component production, specialist
battery manufacture and recycling.
The chief executive of the Perth-based Future Battery Industries
Cooperative Research Centre (FBICRC), Stedman Ellis, expects
Neither is it just the Lithium
Mr Ellis pointed out that Australia is strong at the mining and
refining end; we have all the metals that go into the production of
batteries, and have a globally competitive mining industry, but our
past record in going further along that path has been poor. The
reality, of course, is that there are clearly much higher margins
involved in the development of the components themselves.
Mr Ellis pointed out that Australia already has battery
manufacturing capability, but this country needs to focus on niche
products, including batteries for storage of residential rooftop
solar, as well as for large-scale renewable energy projects, such
as Tesla’s South Australia mega-battery.
Certainly Mr Shorten identified the mining and processing of
lithium as one of the priorities of an election win, so this should
be copied by an alert Federal Government team, allied with the
Western Australian Government, to seriously consider our future
economic wealth along with the increased employment involved,
to invest in the development of this industry.
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SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 68 NO 4