The critical role of the rare metal tungsten in the manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles (EV) means ensuring a steady supply is of utmost importance.
Why is tungsten a good battery material?
Image courtesy of Almonty Because of its properties, tungsten is essential for battery technology. “Its high conductivity allows for much faster rapid charging and an increase in the amount of nickel, which means the battery can hold a charge longer. It is an integral part of an EV, although not as glamorous as lithium.
NanoBolt Lithium Tungsten batteries give a layered structure that offers more surface area for ion transfer. The layers of nanotubes and different elements create a web structure inside of the battery that works with high efficiency. One of the advantages is the faster transfer of energy across the batteries.
Does China make tungsten?
“China controls the market for nearly 35 precious minerals and metals are important to the United States for production and manufacturing, including tungsten. According to the 2019 United States Geological Survey Commodity Summaries Report, world tungsten supply was dominated by Chinese production and exports,” said Black.
What metals are used in EV batteries?
Although various materials are used in the construction of EV batteries, there are five metals that are are considered critical for Li-ion batteries — Cobalt, Lithium, Manganese, Nickel& Graphite. And just as these five metals are critical to the production of EV batteries, there are some key countries that produce and/or manufacture these metals.
How much tungsten does an EV use?
About 98,000 tons of tungsten is produced globally at a value of about $30,000 a ton. “It's not a huge industry, but without that 2 kg of tungsten you can't build that EV,” Black asserted. Hybrid vehicles use the most tungsten, he added, followed by regular gasoline and diesel vehicles, then EVs.
Can tungsten be mined?
Regardless of market shifts in EV demand, tungsten has other vital uses—including in military hardware and defensive weapons, semiconductors and microchips—that make access to the metal critical. But mining challenges abound. “The first problem with tungsten is getting access to it,” Black explained.