Australian Cobalt To Power BMW EVs
BMW has revealed that it has signed an agreement with international mining company Glencore to get its supply of cobalt for electric vehicles directly from Australian and Moroccan mines.
It said that it was doing so in order to sidestep issues around the ethical sourcing of the metal, which is critical in the manufacture of lithium ion batteries used in electric vehicles.
Most of the world’s cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where supply chains are murky, and child labour is a major concern for international companies operating there.
BMW board member Andreas Wendt said that from 2020, cobalt sourced from Australian mines would go into the companies next generation of electric vehicles.
He said that Australia and Moroccan mines “operate in line with our sustainability standards and there are no issues with working conditions such as child labour.”
Glencore’s Murrin Murrin cobalt mine in Western Australia produced 2,900 tonnes of cobalt, and will directly supply BMW’s renewed push into EV and hybrid vehicles.
The metal is used to ensure that electric vehicles do not catch on fire—the more cobalt in a battery, the more stable it is.
Demand for the metal has been increasing year-on-year as more car makers scramble to add electric and hybrid models to their portfolios.
Glencore also has a significant presence in the Congo, where its mines produces ten times as much cobalt as its Murrin Murrin Mine—none of which will go to BMW.
2024 Mazda CX-5 G35 Akera Turbo review
