Prices of Cobalt Products Fell Across the Board in February 2023

Solid–liquid batteries are the vanguard in the industrialization of solid-state batteries. They have entered large-scale mass production, with multiple lines put into operation from 2024 to 2026. By 2035, capacity will approach 2,000 GWh, about 1.8 times that of solid-state batteries, with utilization rates of 50%–77% and strong supply and demand.

According to Teako Minerals on September 16, the company has completed additional 2026 fieldwork at its Venna copper-cobalt-zinc project in central Norway. The program focused on geological mapping, geochemical sampling and target refinement, with the aim of improving the geological model and identifying priority areas for future drilling. Venna is 100%-owned by Teako and is a volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) copper-cobalt-zinc project. The company said data collected from the latest field program will be integrated with existing geophysical surveys and historical exploration results to define higher-priority drill targets. Teako has also completed its 2026 field program at the Tynset copper-zinc-silver project and plans to continue geophysical work in October. No new cobalt resource estimate, cobalt grade or production capacity was disclosed in the latest update. The project remains at an early exploration stage, but the new work provides additional groundwork for evaluating the scale and continuity of potential copper-cobalt-zinc mineralization.

According to Electra Battery Materials on September 16, the company released preliminary engineering results for its North American nickel refining and battery recycling project. Phase I is planned to establish approximately 20,000 tonnes per year of contained nickel capacity in battery-grade nickel sulfate, with preliminary process simulations indicating recovery rates of more than 97% for both nickel and cobalt. The recovered cobalt hydroxide could potentially serve as feedstock for Electra’s cobalt refinery in Ontario. Preliminary capital expenditure for Phase I is estimated at approximately US$530 million to US$675 million. Phase II is expected to add battery black mass processing capacity, providing an additional approximately 20,000 tonnes per year of contained nickel capacity while also recovering cobalt, lithium and graphite as by-products. Electra said its current priority remains completing and commissioning its Ontario cobalt refinery. As its nickel refining, battery recycling and existing cobalt refining projects become increasingly integrated, the company’s North American nickel and cobalt supply chain strategy is expected to be further strengthened.