Lithium-ion batteries to accelerate the demand pull
Rising gasoline prices and increased consumer awareness of green has been the global automotive industry to re-examine its drive systems, rechargeable lithium-ion battery has become a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) application of technology to the fore.
Analysts pointed out that from the viewpoint of the face of near-zero emission, hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) with a lithium battery sales in 2015 expected to exceed $ 500 million.
Currently, Rockwood Holdings, Chile Sociedad Quimicay Minera (SQM) Inc. and FMC Corporation is the world's largest manufacturer of lithium, lithium has been a lot of its effectiveness due to new applications.
1 Li-ion battery development prospects
Lithium in the lithium-ion battery applications has been recognized. The first phase of the cell phone application, each cell required about 1 / 10 ounce of lithium carbonate. The second stage is the application of portable computers, mobile phones required the use of lithium carbonate is about 10 times.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) using lithium batteries, lithium required for the laptop with more than 100 times the amount of lithium.
Lithium-ion battery performance is expected to play a key HEV, plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) using the combustion engine and two electric drive system. HEV systems, including plug-in hybrid (PHEV), the system in use before the combustion engine, for storing enough power, battery power can be driven by a certain distance. In addition, the pure electric vehicle (EV) do not set the combustion engine, rely on battery power drive. Lithium-ion batteries is expected to make plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) to the price and performance compared to natural gas-powered car to be.
Although Nickel - Metal Hydride battery has been used in most of the HEV, but the battery and lithium-ion batteries compared to the chemical manufacturing, power larger and smaller. Toyota's Prius hybrid electric vehicle GM nickel - metal hydride battery-powered. Toyota said that by 2010 annual sales of 1 million hybrid vehicles.
Chemical manufacturers' investment plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) present opportunities for development. Rockwood has developed a proprietary technology conductive lithium salt, lithium salt of this conductive battery chemistry can help overcome some of the challenges. SQM with Europe, Japan, Korea and the U.S. producer cathode formed a commercial alliance to develop cars with lithium-ion batteries.
However, the auto industry into the mass production of HEV are still in the initial stage, the amount of lithium car battery is still small. Strong growth in other end-user demand and the right price, will continue to support lithium demand.
According to the forecast of Bank of America, Kevin McCarthy, HEV lithium battery sales will grow to approximately $ 600 million in 2015. Analysis, HEV lithium-there are more long-term development opportunities. It is estimated that by 2010 sales of about one million hybrid electric vehicles, 2015 sales will double. Kevin McCarthy is expected to Bank of America, 2015, revenues lithium battery consumption will account for nearly half the amount of electric vehicle batteries, lithium from 2007 total revenues of less than 1% in 2015 accounted for 1 / 4.
Rockwood company in 2007 from lithium carbonate, lithium metal and lithium compounds derived from the total revenue of about $ 450 million. FMC Corporation's lithium in 2007 sales of $ 210 million. And Rockwood's similar, FMC produced lithium carbonate and special general downstream lithium products. SQM is the world's leading manufacturer of lithium carbonate, in 2007 from the lithium and lithium derivatives revenues of $ 179.8 million.
Battery and pharmaceutical end-users together accounted for Rockwood's lithium supply about 40%. Analysts believe that the near term, demand for lithium pharmaceutical sector will be mainly affected by strong demand for butyl lithium and other battery applications of lithium hydroxide, lithium carbonate and demand driven.
Lithium battery consumption with HEV production is no great demand in the case has shown double-digit rates of growth. 2007 nearly 20% growth in demand expected in the medium term will continue to be higher than the growth rate of 10%.
In addition to battery applications, the speed of growth in the medium term, there was grease, oil with lithium hydroxide, glass objects and glass fusion with lithium carbonate, lithium carbonate and other air conditioning.
With lithium-ion HEV battery power accelerating into the commercial market, Johnson Controls-Saft battery company in January 2007 in France, the world's first large-scale production of the HEV battery production plant, and has been produced with Class Mercedes hybrid electric vehicle sign Lithium-ion battery supply contract, Class hybrid electric vehicles in commercial production in early 2009. Japan's NEC Electronics to the 2009 annual production of 13,000 lithium-ion batteries by 2010 will expand production to 6.5 million units, to apply to the Nissan hybrid electric vehicles.
Some car manufacturers use lithium-ion battery-powered hybrid electric vehicle program being developed. Tesla Motors was the United States in March 2008 to begin production 2008 Tesla Roadster hybrid electric vehicles, will launch the 2009 models. Toyota and Matsushita's joint venture Panasonic EV Energy Company in 2009 limited production vehicle lithium-ion batteries in 2010, will shift to mass production.
Other lithium-ion battery manufacturers, including South Korea's LG Chemical Company, the Company and Hyundai Motor Co. signed a contract, from July 2009 onwards the company Accent hybrid electric vehicle supply lithium-ion battery. Saturn's PHEV and GM Volt EV mass production in 2010. Sanyo Electric Company will begin production of 1.5 to 20,000 / year lithium ion battery for HEV use in 2011. Volkswagen's hybrid electric cars in 2010 using the Sanyo Electric Company lithium-ion battery technology.
2009 lithium-ion rechargeable battery market was formally established. This is because Japan and overseas car manufacturers have started in the passenger cars on the lithium-ion rechargeable battery. Manufacturers in Japan, Toyota Motor, Fuji Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Motors has decided to adopt, and in Europe, Daimler also said that use. In addition, Nissan, Audi, General Motors is also ready to use in 2010.
Decided to hybrid (HEV) and electric vehicles (EV) performance of the most important changes will occur rechargeable batteries. Reason is that Toyota, Nissan and other Japanese top manufacturers launched later in 2009 with a lithium-ion rechargeable battery models.
Objects involved in HEV, EV, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and other fields. Toyota said it will start in 2009 in a subsidiary - Panasonic EV Energy small batch production for the PHEV lithium-ion rechargeable battery, start mass production in 2010.
2000 "Tino Hybrid" style on the first lithium-ion rechargeable battery with Nissan in 2010 with mass production of lithium-ion rechargeable battery HEV and EV. HEV is scheduled for rear-wheel drive car, the gearbox is now open and the tap in the baggage compartment is equipped with lithium-ion rechargeable battery. The batteries will be Nissan and NEC, NEC Tokin, a joint venture Automotive Energy Supply (AESC) provides.
In addition to Toyota, Nissan, other major vendors are also expected to use lithium-ion rechargeable battery. Fuji Heavy Industries, mass production scheduled in 2009 to "Plugin Stella Concept" for the prototype EV, Nissan will be the same car, using the AESC manufactured batteries. In addition, Mitsubishi Motors will also purchase and GS Yuasa Corporation (GS Yuasa) and other joint venture Lithium Energy Japan (LEJ) made battery, in 2009, mass production EV "i MiEV".
Honda plans new HEV models added in 2009, and in 2010 in the "Fit" in additional HEV models, but has not yet shown on the HEV in the general use of lithium-ion rechargeable battery. However, the company in November 2008 in Japan began to rent out the fuel cell hybrid vehicle "FCX Clarity" is equipped with a lithium-ion rechargeable battery, replace the capacitors had been used.
Overseas manufacturers, the Volkswagen Group in Germany scheduled for 2010 Audi listing HEV, including lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, Sanyo Electric Co. will start mass production from 2009. The General Motors decision to the HEV market in 2010, the lithium-ion rechargeable batteries will also be Hitachi Vehicle Energy (Hitachi Vehicle Energy) from the end of 2009 mass production.
2 lithium production increase continuously
Rockwood, SQM, and FMC's lithium production accounted for about 3 / 4, some of China's lithium production of small producers account for about 1 / 4. SQM's production is about 35% of the global lithium carbonate supply. Rockwood's specialty chemicals business through its Department of Chemetall's lithium carbonate about 30% of world production, and FMC Corporation production accounts for about 5% to 10%.
In 2009, the world's lithium resources consumption is 8 tons, is expected after 5 years, the United States alone 10 million lithium car demand will consume 10 million tons of lithium resources. Since 2005, lithium prices soaring by more than 10 million per ton in November 2009 rose to more than 60 million per ton.
In 2008 the world production of lithium (in lithium carbonate equivalents) estimated at 80,000 tons / year. The status of the global lithium carbonate industry, the resource threshold high, capacity is highly concentrated. As of the end of 2008, total global demand of about 95,000 tons of lithium carbonate, a major international manufacturer of Chile's SQM, FMC and the United States, Germany Chemtall total annual capacity of 79,000 tons, accounting for 80% of global market share. Since large-scale production of lithium carbonate enterprises must have abundant reserves of lithium salt lake resources, mining rights, which makes the resources of the industry with higher barriers to entry; the other hand, the vast majority of the world's resources are high magnesium salt of lithium-based low- , and from high-Mg low lithium brine separation of lithium carbonate purification technology is very difficult, just before these technologies lies in the hands of a few foreign companies, which makes lithium carbonate industry, but also provides many technical barriers. Therefore, creating a global lithium carbonate industry oligopoly structure.
Three major supplier of lithium from the "Li-triangle" (Argentina, Bolivia and Chile) to produce lithium brine storage. SQM and Rockwood's from the Salar de Atacama region of Chile production of lithium, the advantage of lithium at high concentrations and high evaporation rates, in the production process can use solar energy. In addition to outside of South America, Rockwood companies are Silver Peak, Nevada, brine production by lithium.
FMC Corporation from Salar de Hombre Muerto in Argentina storage of brine in the production of lithium, a filtration process, the filtration process faster, but higher costs than other processes.
Previously, Li Li-hui quarry sediments from the extract. Through this process, however, to produce, due to low purity, require multiple extraction steps and is energy-intensive process. China is now only used in the production of spodumene from a large number of lithium carbonate.
South America's storage capacity is still expanding. SQM's lithium carbonate production capacity being from 3 million tons / year expanded to the third quarter of 2008, about 40,000 tons / year. If market demand is strong, will also be expansion to 60,000 tons / year.
Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia has about 5.5 million tons of lithium storage.
Admiralty Resources Inc. plans to develop Argentina's northern Rincon Salara brine mine, mine has 10,500 tons of lithium carbonate equivalent. All the world's supply of lithium carbonate production will be about 20%. The company's goal is to put into production in 2009. 50 tons / year pilot plant was put into operation in April 2008.
Present from the "Li-triangle" of economic production of lithium is still a big cost advantage. However, rising prices are contributing to the development of lithium storage outside of South America. Norwegian mining company Nordic lithium in Finland through the acquisition of development projects for Europe's first manufacturer of lithium battery industry. The company expects production in Finland in 2013 3300 tons / year of lithium carbonate. Esmeralda County, Nevada, USA has the prospects for the development of lithium brine mine, Black Pearl, including mining companies will develop in California, Nevada and Utah's Great Basin, including lithium brine mine.
The first 20 years, Chinese manufacturers have also implemented a production. China in 2007, total world lithium market is about 1 / 4. The next 2-5 years, China will greatly expand capacity, production capacity is expected to have more than doubled.
Lithium-ion battery sources of raw materials in China is extremely broad. China is the world's lithium resources in the country, especially in the salt lake in Qinghai and Tibet have a lot of lithium resources, development of Salt Lake not only for low-cost lithium-ion battery materials, but also conducive to the development of the western region. At the same time, manganese, iron, vanadium, and phosphorus-rich resources in China are. Permanent magnet synchronous motor with a small, light weight and high efficiency characteristics, and China is big country of rare earth permanent magnetic materials for lithium-electric cars provided the material guarantee.
China has been found in the Qaidam Basin, lithium brine mine, but China mine brine concentration is low, so that China's lithium production SQM and Rockwood price than the company to more than double.
Lithium Salt Lake in independent research, provides technical and production process of magnesium on the basis of some of China's large industrial enterprises in recent years in the Saline Salt Lake and began building the depths of the Qaidam Basin, lithium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide and other chemical production base. Current domestic production of lithium carbonate mining company focused on Tibet, CITIC Guoan, Western Mining Group, Qinghai Salt Lake Group, the four companies, and mining in Tibet and CITIC Guoan has accounted for the majority, the two companies in 2008 lithium carbonate Total output of not more than 4,000 tons.
October 12, 2009, Toyota Tsusho Corporation (hereinafter referred to as Toyota Tsusho) and China CITIC Guoan Information Industry Co., Ltd. (CITIC Guoan) signed a letter of intent, the two sides will cooperate in the production and sale of battery grade lithium carbonate and downstream products . Toyota Tsusho is the Toyota Group in automotive related business trading company; CITIC Guoan is a listed company CITIC Group, the West now has taijnar Qinghai Salt Lake, an area of 570 square kilometers, is a liquid lithium-based mining large deposits of lithium carbonate in resources outstanding. This is a new signal that the competition of new energy vehicles have been advancing to the upstream resources.
China Tibet Economic Commission announced in late August 2008, Tibet will expand the resource base of China's largest lithium Zabuye Salt Lake, their investment will reach 1.084 billion yuan. After the completion of the project, annual sales income will reach 639 million yuan, profits of 200 million yuan. The expansion project will be a lithium salt and 5,000 tons / year, based on the construction of the lithium salt 20,000 tons / year, lithium chloride, 5,000 tons / year, lithium 500 tons / year high purity lithium 200 tons / year, material of lithium 30 tons / year and other lithium compounds, 490 tons / year production capacity. Salt Lake is located in Xigaze Zabuye Zhongba County, is the world's known resources of more than three lithium salt is one megaton of large, its surface brine, intergranular brine and solid minerals inclusive of lithium carbonate, The total reserves of 2,466,300 tons. Which only the surface to control the economic base of brine reserves reached 704.1 thousand tons, the amount of lithium resources in China ranks the first.
Information, is located in the hinterland of the Qaidam Basin in Qinghai Plateau is rich in potassium, sodium, magnesium, lithium, boron and other mineral resources, including magnesium chloride 3.1 billion tons, accounting for 99% of the country to maintain reserves; lithium chloride nearly 14 million tons, accounting for country to maintain reserves of 83%. In early 2007, Qinghai CITIC Guoan Technology Development Corporation West Lake taijnar tons of lithium carbonate project put into production in the Qaidam Basin, the West Lake taijnar become an important production base for lithium carbonate.
In addition, China's largest mining brine has a high magnesium / lithium ratio, processing may be more complex.
Allegedly, hybrid electric vehicles or pure electric vehicle batteries and other applications of lithium demand will continue to grow. Demand in the current rate, the global supply is expected to meet in 1775, the Salar de Atacama in Chile, with 6.9 million tons of recoverable lithium, Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia has 5.5 million tons of recoverable lithium.
Jiangxi new lithium energy industry base in the November 17, 2009 the park opened in Yichun City of Jiangxi Province. It is the nation's first lithium industrial base, Yichun in three years to fight the Asia's largest lithium production base, five years to fight the power of China's largest lithium production base. Jiangxi Yichun the world's largest lithium mine, now proven recoverable reserves of lithium oxide is 110 million tons, accounting for 31%, accounting for 12% of the world, with a good amount of resources, Yichun "lithium industry" is incredibly . It is understood that the country's first lithium industrial base, planning area of 20 square kilometers (30,000 acres), the United States has new energy, the Chinese home, Foster and more than 20 projects signed lithium admission, signed the contract funding of over $ 10 billion. In the future the development of lithium industry is expected to develop objectives are divided into three stages: 2009 to 2012, industrial output value of new energy lithium strive to reach 8.0 billion before the end of 2012; 2013 to 2015, new lithium energy industry beginning to take shape, and strive to the end of 2015 the output value of 300 billion yuan the previous year; 2016 to 2020, formed a relatively complete new lithium energy industry cluster, and strive to the end of 2020 exceeded 100 billion yuan output value of the previous year.
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