General Motors will source U.S.-based lithium for its upcoming Ultium electric vehicle battery cells.
The automaker announced today it has formed a strategic investment and commercial collaboration with California-based lithium extraction firm Controlled Thermal Resources, which it says will allow it to secure ” local and low-cost lithium,” for its Ultium battery packs. The lithium will be produced through something called a closed-loop, direct extraction process, which GM says results in a smaller physical footprint, no production tailing and lower carbon dioxide emissions when compared to traditional lithium mining processes like pit mining or evaporation ponds.
GM says its newly formed partnership with CTR is “expected to accelerate the adoption of lithium extraction methods that cause less impact to the environment.” For example, the additional capital from GM will enable CTR to accelerate its efforts in recovering lithium from geothermal brine using its closed-loop, direct extraction process. The majority of the battery-grade lithium hydroxide and carbonate for GM will come from CTR’s own Hell’s Kitchen Lithium and Power development in the Salton Sea Geothermal Field in Imperial, California.
Lithium is a key battery material and is used in the cathodes and electrolytes of all GM EVs, including the recently launched 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV. GM says lithium will become even more important in battery use as it continues to research and develop lithium metal batteries with a protected anode – a design that it will use in its second-generation Ultium battery packs. Obtaining cheaper lithium is crucial to automakers, as batteries are and will remain one of the largest cost drivers of EVs compared to ICE vehicles.
“Lithium is critical to battery production today and will only become more important as consumer adoption of EVs increases, and we accelerate towards our all-electric future,” said GM vice president for purchasing and supply chain, Doug Parks. “By securing and localizing the lithium supply chain in the U.S., we’re helping ensure our ability to make powerful, affordable, high mileage EVs while also helping to mitigate environmental impact and bring more low-cost lithium to the market as a whole.”
The first stage of CTR’s Hell’s Kitchen lithium mining project is expected to begin yielding lithium in 2024.
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More information on this can be found here:
https :// arstechnica . com /cars/2021/07/general-motors-looks-to-california-for-its-next-lithium-supply/?
and here:
https:// newscenter . lbl . gov /2020/08/05/geothermal-brines-could-propel-californias-green-economy/
Wow GM supporting a domestic strategic resource.
Hope the mining equipment is all solar powered. No diesel or gas powered allowed.
it’s actually powered by the steam produced by the geothermal mine.
That would entail only working on bright sunny days, not going to get much production that way. That’s the trouble with solar they can’t get the sun to shine all the time, plus in order to get enough solar power to run the mining operation half of CA would have to be covered in solar panels. You solar powered wannabes don’t bother to think your ideas through. That’s the big reason CA has rolling blackouts now because they decided to go solar and wind power only. The sun only shines about 10 hours of semi- reliable solar power, that leaves 14 hours of not so good to nothing.
The next question is where does Panasonic get their lithium for Tesla cars.
China, South America, and Australia.
When oil was discovered it came gushing and still is. When Lithium came, it was…well…we’re not sure but it will power all those zillions of EV’s destined to change our lives for the better
If GM is all in on battery electric technology, then why GM’s insistence and cozy relationship with the questionable, corrupt, monopolistic, oligarchical Korean LG conglomerate? Why not American companies?