By: Mining and Energy Bulletin Staff
April – Copper & Battery Minerals Month
LONDON | PERTH | SANTIAGO – As the global economy accelerates toward a net-zero future, the spotlight has never been brighter on the critical minerals powering the transition. This April, the Mining and Energy Bulletin dedicates its annual Copper & Battery Minerals Month to the five pillars of electrification: Copper, Lithium, Cobalt, Manganese, and the broader spectrum of EV minerals.
Industry leaders agree: after a decade of volatile prices, we are entering a structural supercycle driven not by China’s construction boom, but by the mass adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and grid-scale energy storage.
Copper: The Conductor of the Energy Transition
Copper is no longer just a industrial bellwether; it is the physical backbone of decarbonization. An EV contains roughly 80 kg of copper—four times more than an internal combustion engine vehicle. Offshore wind farms require nearly 15 tonnes of copper per megawatt.
“The supply gap is looming,” says Sarah Vann, Chief Commodities Analyst at Global Resource Economics. “Major copper discoveries are declining, permitting takes over a decade, and yet demand from the EV sector alone is projected to double by 2030. We are looking at a potential deficit of 5 million tonnes.”
Lithium: The White Gold Rush
If copper is the nervous system, lithium is the heart of the battery. After a brutal price correction in late 2023 and 2024, the lithium market is stabilizing. Hard-rock spodumene from Australia and brine operations from South America’s “Lithium Triangle” are expanding, but the focus has shifted from simple extraction to sustainable refining.
Innovations in Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) are promising to cut production times from 18 months to hours, while reducing water usage by 80%. Chile’s new National Lithium Strategy, now in its second year, is attracting partnerships with Chinese and European cathode makers.
Cobalt & Manganese: The Unsung Heroes
While lithium grabs headlines, cobalt and manganese provide stability and energy density. Artisanal mining concerns in the DRC continue to plague cobalt’s ESG profile, prompting a race toward high-manganese cathodes (LMFP) that reduce cobalt content by 70%.
“Manganese is having a quiet renaissance,” notes Dr. Hiro Tanaka, a battery materials researcher. “High-purity manganese sulphate (HPMSM) is critical for next-generation batteries. North America is finally building its first HPMSM plants, breaking China’s near-monopoly on refining.”
The EV Minerals Dilemma: Security vs. Speed
The common thread across all four commodities is geopolitical risk. China currently refines 65% of the world’s lithium, 75% of cobalt, and 90% of manganese. In response, the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) are incentivizing domestic supply chains.
In Canada, the first major cobalt-copper mine in a decade just received federal approval. In Australia, a new manganese processing facility is being fast-tracked under the “Future Made in Australia” plan.
Outlook for the Bulletin’s Readers
For investors and engineers, the message is clear: volatility is the new normal, but the long-term trend is unbroken.
As one mining CEO put it during a recent keynote: “April is our month to remind the world that without miners, there are no EVs. Without copper, there are no chargers. Without lithium and cobalt, there is no battery. The energy transition starts underground.”
The Mining and Energy Bulletin’s April edition features exclusive interviews with leading copper cathode producers, a technical deep-dive on DLE technologies, and a country-by-country risk assessment for cobalt supply chains.