Components with embedded technology metals in the selected signature products include:
- Lithium ion batteries (LIBs) – they comprise a key component of electric vehicles (EV), but they also find use in energy storage applications and electronics.
- Permanent magnets (PMs) – they are essential for producing a range of motor applications including EV traction motors and wind turbine generators.
- Printed circuit boards (PCBs) – are used in nearly all electronic products enabling all other compon to connect to each other
Developing a circular economy for technology metals requires understanding the range and technical characteristics of components, as well as their material content. This information is rarely available, especially so for many of the minor metals. Hence, value addition is hardly ever extracted from technology metals found in numerous components.
Components in focus
Electric vehicle batteries
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are a core technology for the decarbonisation of transport. Technology metals like cobalt, lithium and nickel are essential for developing high performance batteries for electric vehicles. Batteries require careful management at the end-of-life to ensure good waste management practices and stewardship of the technology metals that they contain.
Permanent magnets
Rare earth permanent magnets (PMs) enable some of the most efficient motors and generators. They provide the best technology option for applications like offshore wind power generation and electric vehicle traction motors. Materials like neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium are essential for the manufacture of rare earth permanent magnets.
Printed circuit boards
Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are used in nearly all electronic products.
It is a medium used in electrical and electronic engineering to connect electronic components to one another.
The world market for PCBs exceeded $60.2 billion in 2014 and is estimated to reach $79 billion by 2024.