Australia's plan to position itself as a leader in providing metals used to generate renewable energy and battery storage power took another step forward earlier today, despite low prices
The key "technology metal" dispute
The background is neighboring Malaysia.
These emerging industries are likely to compete with Australia's controversial position as the largest coal exporter one day in the future, and will be the focus of the new research center supported by the Australian government and 58 industry partners.
It is known as the future battery industry cooperation research center and will be located at the University of Curtin in Perth, capital of Western Australia.
Multinational companies involved include
China-based lithium producer Tianqi Lithium
BHP Billiton Group mining division, Dassault Systems, France and the Institute of Earth Science and mineral resources, Korea.
Industry participants will jointly contribute $80 million.
The Australian government will provide $18 million to cover the post-40
Graduate students who will be working on three major research projects.
Karen Andrews, Minister of Science and Technology, listed these projects as the development of the battery industry, the processing of battery minerals and metals and materials, and the development of new battery storage systems.
Lithium production in Australia, mainly converted into batteries-
Over the past six years, grade materials in Asia have grown rapidly, from $ 560% in 2012 to $83 million in 2017, an increase of 0. 55 billion.
The metal will be worth $0. 78 billion next year.
Nickel, lithium and cobalt (mined as nickel-
Products) find a way out in the battery industry, another series of special metals known as rare earths, has caused waves in Australia's relations with Malaysia.
It is debatable what to do if rare earths (such as nd and ase) mined in Australia are extracted from a processing facility owned by an Australian company in East Malaysia and leave behind light radioactive waste.
Lynas Corporation, a company operating mines and processing plants, has been operating under an agreement that allows waste to be stored near Malaysian factories, but the new Malaysian government is questioning the agreement, it is hoped that the remaining materials and rare earth ore will be removed in Australia before shipment to Malaysia.
Wesfarmers eslynas says the company is working on a solution, but its position has been compromised due to a potential takeover offer from Australia's diversified industrial company, Wesfarmers.
The complex situation put the Australian and Malaysian governments in trouble and led Lynas to complain that our farmers did not formally acquire Lynas and should not have a direct conversation with the Malaysian government.
One reason for so much diplomatic and corporate fever in the Lynas situation is that rare earths play a vital role in some new technologies, thanks for their ability to become permanent magnets, permanent magnets are the core dimensions of solar power generation systems, wind turbines, and all motors.
Japan-backed LynasLynas is the world's largest non-
Chinese rare earth producers, while the Malaysian plant plays a key role in starting the company's pressure, there is increasing pressure on the plant or its first phase of operations to relocate to Australia.
This is an almost complete technical metal kit used at all stages of renewable energy and battery storage, it encourages the Australian government to invest in syndicate and potential locations in the national "beauty parade" behind the battery research center that selects the Curtin University website.