Tag: cobalt

Subpoena for Hunter Biden to Testify Before Congress Blocked by Democrats: GOP

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee blocked a Republican-backed subpoena to compel Hunter Biden to testify as a witness. “Democrats just denied our motion to subpoena Hunter Biden,” the GOP members of the committee wrote on Twitter. “They refuse to hold Hunter accountable for his shady business dealings that make us more dependent on China…


World Chinese Mining Operations Embroiled in Disputes and Losses

For over a decade, Chinese companies have played an increasing role in international mining investment, spending billions of dollars buying out foreign mines worldwide. However, Chinese mining firms have recently been facing disputes in the host countries over payments, environmental protests by locals, or government policy changes. These ongoing disputes have cost the companies dearly….


Australia Approves Huge $560 Million Cobalt Mine To Boost Battery Industry

Australia has given the green light for a massive $560 million (US$410 million) cobalt mining project, aligning with the nation’s plan to become a global battery powerhouse amid an increasingly battery-dependent world. It also comes amid reports that current cobalt supplies are being sourced from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in deadly conditions using…


Biden Admin Announces Plan for Domestic Refining of Critical Tech Minerals

The Biden administration has announced a domestic plan for processing and refining minerals that are critical to modern technologies. It comes as part of an effort to reduce the United States’ dependence on China, according to a White House release on Feb. 22. The plan includes a $35 million award from the Department of Defense…


Biden Admin Announces Plan for Domestic Refining of Critical Tech Minerals To Reduce Dependence on China

The Biden administration has announced a domestic plan for processing and refining minerals that are critical to modern technologies. It comes as part of an effort to reduce the United States’ dependence on China, according to a White House release on Feb. 22. The plan includes a $35 million award from the Department of Defense…


South Korea Eyes Australia’s Minerals To Surpass China As Battery King

South Korea is making a beeline for Australia’s vast critical mineral deposits in a bid to reclaim the throne as the world’s biggest electric vehicle battery maker. With South Korean President Moon Jae-in becoming the first international leader to visit Australia since the reopening of its borders, the two nations have made significant bilateral strides—including…


Production Capacity Needs to Double to Meet Demand for Electric F-150, Says Ford CEO

The Ford Motor Co. is dealing with a massive production backlog for an all-electric version of its iconic F-150 pickup, says the company’s CEO. The 2022 F-150 Lightning has a backlog of almost three years with nearly 200,000 reservations, reported CNBC.  Ford CEO, Jim Farley, told the news channel that the automaker is doing whatever it…


Lithium Prices Shoot Up, Disrupting Plans for Electric Car Manufacturers

Car manufacturers are finding it increasingly pricier to manufacture electric vehicles (EV) as the costs of procuring lithium, one of the main components found in every commercial EV battery, has shot up almost 280 percent since the start of the year. The demand for electric vehicles has pushed up demand for the metal, and supply…


Net Zero Target Not ‘Zero-Sum Game’ for Mining Jobs: Premier Palaszczuk

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has said investment and support will continue to flow into her state’s mining industry despite Australia’s commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Global decarbonisation ambitions, recently the focus of the COP26 summit in Glasgow, did not mean a “zero-sum game” for the resources extraction industry in mineral-rich Queensland, the premier…


Deadly Child Labor Could Be Huge Obstacle for Biden’s Goal of an Electrified American Road

A class-action lawsuit on behalf of a group of mothers and children from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) against five U.S.-based Big Tech giants may short-circuit President Joe Biden’s plans to electrify American transportation. Biden’s American Jobs Plan includes $15 billion to build “a national network of 500,000 charging stations” for the Electric…