Global Supply Chain for Battery Raw Materials

After a decade of commitment and perseverance, Syrah has delivered the first US based mass production facility for EV Lithium-ion Battery materials, producing and shipping product to market last year, in 2024. The group continues to deliver on its vertical integration strategy, leveraging the Balama Graphite Operation in Mozambique—the world’s largest and highest-grade natural flake graphite deposit and production facility. In the session, we provide updates on trade-flow dynamics, policy, market conditions, and Syrah’s role supporting diversification.

This presentation will provide an overview of the development of sustainable layered Mn-rich cathodes (HLM) materials for the high-performance and low-cost segment of the electric vehicle market.

We will describe the increasing challenge of discovering and processing primary mineral supplies, and the importance of secondary resources. Lastly, we will demonstrate Australia’s capability to operate the world’s longest (transmission) network with 100% renewable energy as a proposed renewable energy powerhouse.

Using a holistic view of the battery supply chain, this study examines the impact of transportation and identifies key parameters for accurately assessing transport costs and emissions. Material, process, and transport parameters are introduced to highlight their magnitude and influence on costs and emissions. Case studies for North American and European cell and EV module manufacturers compare the importance of transportation within the supply chain.

The presentation by the International Lithium Association (ILiA) will explore challenges and potential solutions to some of the key global issues in the lithium industry, including efforts to coordinate carbon and water footprinting techniques and regionalization and friendshoring in the value chain. In addition, the role of the ISO in the lithium industry and the risks posed by misinformation will be discussed.

As battery production capacity continues to increase in North America, the risks surrounding the raw material supply chain are in the spotlight. The high dependency on China and Chinese companies for key material inputs, especially in today's geopolitical environment, will continue to constrain EV adoption in the US market regardless of chemistry. Critical minerals policy won't remedy this situation as abnormal supply conditions continue to depress commodity prices and increase production risk. This talk will tie the headlines to the challenges currently plaguing battery supply chains. 

The unintended impact of the massive AI rollout include trillions being spent globally to build out AI infrastructure. This infrastructure has already taken down the Iberian Peninsula grid early in 2025, and expect more disruptions. Massive battery back-up systems will need to be deployed. BESS battery consumption reached an estimated 60% of EV demand in 2025 and will be the same size of EV's by 2035. We will explore how the battery industry can respond to this major challenge to the global grid.

Critical minerals, materials, and components of electric vehicle batteries are produced in different global regions and shipped to EV applications in different countries. The global nature of the EV battery supply chain affects the carbon intensities, as well as the economics, of batteries. Production of battery critical minerals, materials, and components and their transportation among global regions result in varied carbon intensities of batteries. Argonne National Laboratory has been simulating global battery production with its R&D GREET model. This presentation will cover variations in the carbon intensities of the global battery supply chain.

In recent years, Europe and the United States have prioritized independence in critical minerals supply chains, especially for batteries and electric vehicles. This emphasis on developing raw and refined lithium supplies is vital to governmental agendas. Our discussion will highlight the complexities outlined in our report and present forecasts for these regions.

Graphite remains the at-risk anode material due to several factors: its disproportionate dependence on Chinese supply, increasing regulatory pressures related to environmental sustainability, and escalating demand from the EV sector, all of which contribute to heightened price volatility and supply chain vulnerabilities. This presentation assesses the exposure levels between natural and synthetic graphite, examines the implications of recent policies, and discusses alternative anode chemistries, such as a silicon-doped anode material.

This presentation explains how batteries can be manufactured outside China cost-effectively through strategies in supply chain and technologies. It will examine the relationship between battery manufacturers and suppliers and how it affects costs and prices, and look at the imperative to invest in the upstream and midstream, and the nuances and difficulties of doing so