Lithium Security?

I’m so happy, ’cause today I found my friends, they’re in my head

I’m so ugly, that’s okay, ’cause so are you, broke our mirrors

Sunday mornin’ is every day for all I care, and I’m not scared

Light my candles in a daze, ’cause I’ve found God

Lithium by Nirvana

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I was attracted to this subject by a story on the BBC:

“UK battery start-up Britishvolt could run out of money and go into administration after the government rejected a £30m advance in funding.

The firm wants to build a factory in Blyth in Northumberland which would build batteries for electric vehicles.

The government, which had championed the development, had committed a total £100m to Britishvolt for the project.

It is understood the firm wanted to draw down nearly a third of the funding early but the government refused.

It has left the £3.8bn project, which has already been delayed several times, in doubt.

Britishvolt has struggled to find investors to help fund the construction of its so called gigafactory in Blyth which was expected to create 3,000 jobs.

It had been heralded by ministers as an example of “levelling up”, a Conservative aim of investing in communities to reduce economic imbalances with other parts of the country.

Blyth made election history in 2019 when it changed from Labour to the Conservatives.

The firm, which is yet to make any revenue, has in recent months held urgent talks to try to secure fresh funds to stay afloat.

A Britishvolt spokesperson said the company was “aware of market speculation” and was “actively working on several potential scenarios that offer the required stability”.

“We have no further comment at this time,” they added.”

It demonstrates how the UK is dysfunctional as a state. Any sane state would understand that battery security, based on Lithium is a strategic need for the future. To rely on batteries from China is a bit risky. To release 30 million is peanuts. Monkeys like to keep their peanuts all for themselves.

Really???

I had a look at the prices of Lithium Carbonate they are rising sharply and are at 564,500 Chinese Yuan per tonne. That is $78,000 or $78 per kilo.

The demand side is tight as is the supply side, guess what, the price is going up.

In a state of permacrisis, a new word given birth by the UK government, people can take their eye of global issues to bicker and squabble about local petty issues.

Semiconductors, batteries and energy…people are starting to twig that relying of the free market ain’t such a clever idea in an increasingly hostile world. If your currency plummets the price of important commodities rockets.

Lithium supply could be a new “battle ground”.

Lithium has atomic number 3 – the jewel of mixed abundance. Lithium has a high ionisation potential that is why it is good for batteries. Problem is it can cause fires….

Seems to me that I might look into buying some Lithium related shares.