China, Russia, and American Companies Battle for Lithium in One of the World’s Largest Reserves of the Mineral, Crucial for Electric Car Batteries

It Is Estimated That, In The Coming Years, The Companies Holding The Best Lithium Projects Will Dominate The Electric Vehicle Battery Market, Currently Under Bolivian Ownership    

A research team traveled to Bolivia in late August 2021 to find leaders in state lithium facilities, with the intent of convincing them that EnergyX has a technology that can fulfill all of Bolivia’s potential, aiming to become a true global powerhouse of green energy. However, upon arriving in Bolivia, the team discovered that the meeting had been canceled and they were barred by security at the location. Regardless, the team came across a massive salt flat of brine, located high in the Andes, called Salar de Uyuni, which is very rich in lithium, along with other important minerals essential for manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles.

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Brief History Of The Saline Salar De Uyuni And Vision Of EnergyX

Confronted with salt flats surrounded by rusted equipment, empty production tanks, and various uncoupled pumps, EnergyX’s CEO, Teague Egan, considered the location abandoned and reported that it would be the new Saudi Arabia.

However, regarding the history of Salar de Uyuni, the Quechua indigenous people report that the area of 4,000 square kilometers of salt flats was formed by the mixture of a goddess’s breast milk and her son’s salty tears. For Egan, the area of the salt flats is a pure white beauty as far as the eye can see.

Bolivia Has High Potential To Be Among The Most Sought-After Countries For Lithium Acquisition. China, Russia, And The USA Are Already Investing In The Area

Bolivia holds one quarter of the most well-known lithium reserves in the world and, in addition, has great potential to be among the winners in the global search for essential raw materials to move away from the use of oil, natural gas, and coal in this tough battle against climate change.

Some companies from China, the USA, and Russia have been competing in recent months to implement their lithium pilot projects in the salt flat, including four companies from China and one from Russia, which have much friendlier relations with the Bolivian government than the USA.

With the revolution of renewable energy sources, many entrepreneurs hope to enter and assist in the energy sector, just as Elon Musk has done with Tesla. Egan and others at the start of their journey are seeking their first opportunity in mineral-rich locations such as Bolivia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the South Pacific. Besides the energy sector, lithium is essential for the production of batteries for electric vehicles.

Brazilian Researchers Make Progress In The Development Of Lithium-Oxygen Batteries That Could Be Manufactured Without Resorting To Noble Or High-Cost Materials

Brazilian researchers are advancing in the creation of the necessary catalysts to optimize lithium-oxygen batteries. These batteries stand out for their capacity to store more energy than conventional ones, but it is still necessary to improve their cycling ability and the number of recharges the component allows, defining its lifespan.

According to Gustavo Doubek, a professor at Unicamp and CINE, the work contributes to the construction of a lithium-oxygen battery with better cycle efficiency, without the need for noble or high-cost materials.

The operation of lithium-oxygen batteries, which are being developed by Brazilian researchers, is based on the reaction of lithium ions with oxygen from the air. When the battery’s electricity is used, the reaction generates lithium peroxide, among other compounds.

Understand More About Lithium

Lithium (Li) is a chemical element and basic component of lithium-ion batteries, which allow the flow of electric currents. Being considered the lightest metal and having a long lifespan, along with a high storage capacity and easy recharging, demand is expected to increase in the coming years, aiming to supply a fleet of electric vehicles and also to generate substantial renewable energy storage for the power grid.