Summary
- Battery giant CATL has recently unveiled the first of a generation of batteries which is based on Sodium-ions rather than Lithium-ions.
- These Sodium-ion batteries are likely to employ Manganese, rather than Lithium.
- Vale is one of the few investable miners of Manganese.
Preamble
Over recent decades, batteries for many of the electric devices we take for granted have driven demand for Lithium. And these days, with the advent of electric vehicles, Lithium miners are enjoying huge profits and their stock holders are wearing merry grins. However, a new technology that is based on Sodium ion technology may soon spoil the party for Lithium investors.
Battery technology
Before moving on to recent developments, it may be helpful for those without a full technical appreciation of lithium batteries to provide a diagram of the structure.
In the main, improvements in battery design focus on the make-up of the cathode. Each new iteration of the cathode design is typically given an acronym dependent on its chemical composition. Examples of this include; NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt), NCA (Nickel Cobalt Aluminium), or LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphorus). In addition to the initials representing the elements, numbers are also provided to give the proportion of each element, NMC 811 for instance. Whilst exact figures are unavailable, perhaps the most commonly used EV batteries outside China are based on NMC 811, sourced from LG Chem (OTCPK:LGCLF), and NCA from Panasonic (OTCPK:PCRFF)....
Read Full Story: https://seekingalpha.com/article/4452704-sodium-ion-batteries-may-power-profits-of-manganese-miners
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