22 www.resourceworld.com
D E C E M B E R / J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9
E
stablished in 2014, London-based Benchmark Minerals Intelligence Ltd. is a con-
sultancy and research house focusing on niche, critical and industrial minerals, and
metals. Benchmark recently sponsored the Benchmark Minerals Week in Newport
Beach, California which brought together the leading players on both sides of the lithium-
ion battery supply chain at two conferences: Graphite and Anodes 2018 and Cathodes 2018.
GRAPHITE AND ANODES 2018
According to literature from Northern Graphite Corp. [NGC-TSXV; HGPHF-OTCQX],
graphite for lithium-ion batteries (LiB), is a $20 billion market, growing at over 20% per
year due to demand for consumer products such as cell phones, cameras, laptops, and
power tools. Electric vehicles (EVs) and grid storage are huge battery markets that will pro-
vide continued strong demand growth. China controls 80% of world graphite supply, and
Battery Minerals and their industrial
implications for the future
We are on the cusp of a transportation revolution made possible by various metals
and minerals that make up the batteries in electric vehicles.
by Jane Bratun
TOP: Left, Dakota Semler, Co-Founder and
CEO, and Giordano Sordoni, Co-Founder
and COO, of Thor Trucks, with the ET-One
Electric Class 8 Semi-Truck. Built in Los
Angeles, California, the truck is good for
300 miles when fully loaded to 40 tons.
The cylindrical lithium-ion battery was
designed in-house. Photo Courtesy Thor
Trucks, Inc.
RIGHT: The Proterra Catalyst® electric
bus, powered by lithium-ion batteries, is
available in 35-foot and 40-foot lengths.
Photo courtesy Proterra, Inc.
