Exponential Increase in EVs Drives New Cobalt Supply Chains

October 10, 2018 08:00:43

NetworkNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Supply anxieties and ethical concerns are clouding the otherwise seemingly sunny drive to automobile electrification. The world is already awash in mobile devices and is rapidly moving to enhanced electrical grids and electric vehicle (EV) ubiquity. However, the indispensable lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery — vital for gadgets, grid storage and electric propulsion — also requires cobalt to retain and discharge electricity. Lithium is plentiful and easily mined; cobalt is the conundrum that has manufacturers of battery-dependent products most worried.

  • EV sales projected to explode to 30 million units by 2030.
  • Cobalt — critical for Li-ion batteries — is nearly single-sourced and ethically challenged.
  • New North American supply chains look to provide solutions

Most of the world’s cobalt supply comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The DRC has an unstable and historically corrupt government and an exceptionally poor human rights record; additionally, much of the country’s cobalt is mined by hand, often by children. Economically precarious, cobalt is virtually single-sourced. Currently about two-thirds of the world supply and half of all global reserves come from the DRC. Moreover, two years after Amnesty International’s scathing expose that showed exploited children mining cobalt, child labor is still being used to procure the mineral at so-called artisanal mines. No other comparable commodity is so dominated by a single source, creating enormous potential risk for EV makers. The troubling aggregate of political corruption, supply uncertainty, operational complexity and ethical opacity has delivered a clarion call to EV makers and spurred a global quest for secure and humanely sourced cobalt resources. At the vanguard of this search is First Cobalt Corp. (TSX.V: FCC) (OTCQX: FTSSF) (FTSSF Profile), a vertically integrated pure-play cobalt company with significant North American assets. Leveraging company assets and expertise in conjunction with the savvy of a legendary EV pioneer…

Read More >>

About NetworkNewsWire

NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is a financial news and content distribution company that provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions, and (6) a total news coverage solution with NNW Prime. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, NNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, NNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. NNW is where news, content and information converge.

To receive instant SMS alerts, text STOCKS to 77948

For more information, please visit https://www.NetworkNewsWire.com

NetworkNewsWire (NNW)
New York, New York
www.NetworkNewsWire.com
212.418.1217 Office
[email protected]

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the NetworkNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by NNW, wherever published or re-published: http://NNW.fm/Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by NNW are solely those of NNW. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable NNW for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. NNW is a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, NNW, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer’s filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer’s securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

NNW HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and NNW undertakes no obligation to update such statements.