Thread by @WholePicture_

Not crude oil and natural gas, but raw materials such as cobalt, tungsten or lithium will shape geopolitics in the future

With the energy transition, the importance of metals that are used for batteries is increasing.

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#China #Commodities

However, the fall in the price of many raw materials from 2012 onwards put questions about security of supply into the background, especially in European politics and industry.
#CommodityMarket
#China #Commodities #Oil #oilandgasindustry #geopolitics #news #Europe #green #energy

To this day, Asian and above all Chinese companies dominate battery production, so that a considerable part of future value creation and jobs in the European automotive industry are in danger of being lost.

#CommodityMarket
#China #Commodities #Oil #geopolitics #news #Europe

To counteract this, the European Battery Alliance was launched in the EU in October 2017. There is talk of building up to 26 giant factories to manufacture batteries for electric vehicles.
#CommodityMarket
#China #Commodities #Oil #geopolitics #news #Europe #green #energy

both domestic and foreign raw material extraction by European companies should not only be expanded, but also sustainably promoted, taking into account all environmental and nature conservation principles.

#CommodityMarket
#China #Commodities #Oil #geopolitics #news #Europe

The faster the decarbonization and the transition to a non-fossil energy age occur, the higher the demand for batteries and other raw materials such as lithium, copper or rare earths will be.#CommodityMarket
#China #Commodities #Oil #geopolitics #news #Europe #green #energy

Accordingly, rising prices are also expected for many «critical» raw materials.
#CommodityMarket
#China #Commodities #Oil #geopolitics #news #Europe #green #energy

It is true that there is no geological limitation in principle for most raw materials. But the concentration on a few countries is the result of commercial considerations (cheaper mining) and less restrictive environmental and nature protection in some raw material countries.

Supply bottlenecks cannot be ruled out, because the opening of mines from planning to commissioning takes an average of 7 years, in western countries even 10 years #CommodityMarket
#China #Commodities #Oil #geopolitics #news #Europe #green #energy

recycling requirements will probably cushion the strong increase in demand and imports, but not lower it below today's needs.

#CommodityMarket
#China #Commodities #Oil #geopolitics #news #Europe #green #energy

China dominates
Share of a country in the EU's imports of critical raw materials (2017), in%
by @NZZ
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