Renault subsidiary Ampere has agreed with Basquevolt to jointly accelerate the development and validation of lithium metal batteries for future electric vehicles.
Ampere and Basquevolt Collaborate on Lithium Metal Batteries Read More »
PEM of RWTH Aachen University has published the third edition of its renowned “Battery Atlas” with ten data-based thematic maps on the current European value chain.
2026 Battery Atlas Sheds Light on European Value Chain Read More »
French mining group Imerys has put its lithium project in the United Kingdom on hold in favor of a more advanced project in France.
Imerys Halts Lithium Project in the UK Read More »
The international mining group Rio Tinto acquired a majority stake in Nemaska Lithium in the Canadian province of Quebec. Following capital investments since March 2025, Rio Tinto now holds 53.9 percent of the shares. The government of Quebec holds the remaining 46.1 percent through its investment company, Investissement Québec. With its majority stake, Rio Tinto will take over direct operational management. Rio Tinto intends to implement its own processes and standards in the areas of development, operations, and sales. The goal is to establish an integrated lithium business in Quebec. This majority takeover follows Rio Tinto’s acquisition of Arcadium in March 2025, through which it initially acquired 50 percent of Nemaska Lithium. Nemaska Lithium operates a lithium hydroxide plant in Bécancour and a spodumene mine in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region. By the end of 2025, 60 percent of the construction work at the Bécancour site was complete. According to Rio Tinto, the engineering work is finished. The plant is scheduled to begin operating in 2026. Initial production is expected in 2028. Rio Tinto is currently evaluating the future supply of spodumene for the plant. For this purpose, the Whabouchi mine and the company’s own Galaxy mine are being examined. The review is expected to be finished by the end of the first half of 2026. The Quebec government plans to invest up to US$200 million in the project. In turn, Rio Tinto plans to invest over US$300 million to expand its lithium business in Quebec in 2026. Source:https://www.riotinto.com/en/news/releases/2026/rio-tinto-assumes-majority-interest-and-management-responsibilities-at-nemaska-lithium
Rio Tinto Acquires Majority Stake in Nemaska Lithium Read More »
The Korean battery manufacturer LG Energy Solution Vertech and the South Korean photovoltaic manufacturer Qcells have announced a multi-year agreement for battery storage with a total capacity of five gigawatt hours in the U.S. The deal covers lithium-ion energy storage systems for utility-scale projects. Implementation is planned for Qcells’ EPC projects between 2028 and 2030. Additionally, LG Energy Solution Vertech will provide lifecycle services for the installed systems. In May 2024, Qcells signed battery purchase agreements with LG Energy Solution Vertech for 4.8 gigawatt hours. The new agreement doubles the secured volume. The systems are based on containerized lithium-ion solutions with LFP cells. According to LG Energy Solution, these cells are manufactured in U.S. plants, including one in Holland, Michigan. LG Energy Solution produces up to 16.5 gigawatt hours of storage cells there per year. By the end of 2026, the company expects to increase capacity in North America to around 50 gigawatt hours. Source:https://news.lgensol.com/company-news/press-releases/4563/
LG Energy Solution Vertech and Qcells Sign Battery Deal for 5 GWh Read More »
The US chemical company Albemarle has announced that it will temporarily close its lithium hydroxide plant in Kemerton, Western Australia. The remaining Train 1 production line will be transferred to “care and maintenance” status immediately. The company previously shut down the Train 2 production line in 2024 and halted expansion plans for lines 3 and 4. The Kemerton plant processes spodumene sourced from the Greenbushes mine. Albemarle holds a stake in the Greenbushes project through an Australian joint venture and half of the off-take rights. Albemarle cites ongoing market volatility and cost pressures as the reasons for the plant’s suspension. The company notes that recent price increases for lithium are insufficient to offset the economic challenges of hard rock processing in the West. This measure is intended to increase the company’s financial flexibility. However, the forecast sales volumes for 2026 remain unchanged. Albemarle plans to meet the demand for lithium hydroxide through other production sites. According to the announcement, mining activities in Australia will also remain unchanged. These include interests in the Greenbushes and Wodgina mines, as well as exploration projects in Western Australia. Source:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/albemarle-announces-plans-to-idle-its-kemerton-lithium-hydroxide-processing-plant-302685521.html
Albemarle to Shut Down Kemerton Lithium Hydroxide Plant in Australia Read More »
In collaboration with industry partner SURAGUS, the Chair of Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) at RWTH Aachen University is researching real-time slurry measurement in the mixing process as part of the joint project, “MixItUp.” Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the project is scheduled to run for three years. The project aims to develop an in situ measurement method to characterize slurries in battery production. Previous methods of electrical slurry characterization require time-consuming laboratory measurements and do not allow for real-time process control. This project aims to develop an in-line measurement method that can be used during the mixing process. At the heart of this development is an inductive sensor system with FPGA-based real-time signal processing. With the help of a eddy current sensor, the electrical conductivity, homogeneity, and particle distribution will be measured. The sensor system will measure the electrical properties of the suspension contactlessly during mixing. These values are then compared with the process parameters in a database. This enables continuous monitoring, early fault detection, and adaptive process control. After being validated on a test bench, the method will be transferred to a pilot line. By the end of the project, an industry-ready measurement system is expected to be available and demonstrated. Intended applications include mixing electrode pastes for battery cells and functional pastes for fuel cell production. Source:https://www.pem.rwth-aachen.de/cms/pem/der-lehrstuhl/presse-medien/aktuelle-meldungen/~brlnoj/pem-ermoeglicht-echtzeit-messung-fuer-slu/?lidx=1
PEM Researches Real-Time Measurement of Slurry in the Mixing Process Read More »
Chinese battery manufacturer Gotion High-Tech and German chemical company BASF have agreed to a strategic partnership to develop solid-state batteries. The memorandum was signed at Gotion’s headquarters in Hefei. According to the companies, their collaboration will involve joint research and development of high-performance materials for next-generation solid-state batteries. The focus will be on several core materials and technical hurdles involved in commercialization. Gotion did not provide any further details on the specific terms of the agreement. This partnership builds on thirteen years of collaboration between the two companies. Gotion already operates a 0.2 GWh pilot production line for its own “Gemstone” solid-state battery. The yield is reportedly over 90 percent, with an energy density of 300 watt hours per kilogram. Small-scale production and vehicle integration tests are planned for 2027. The company expects to begin mass production in 2030. Source:https://cnevpost.com/2026/02/10/gotion-basf-partner-solid-state-battery-tech/
Gotion and BASF to Cooperate on Solid-State Batteries Read More »
PEM of RWTH Aachen University and VDMA have published their fifth edition of the “Production Process of a Lithium-Ion Battery Cell” guide intended for the entire industry.
PEM and VDMA Update Guide to Battery Cell Production Read More »
The German Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) has presented a concept for anode materials in sodium-ion batteries designed to increase efficiency and storage capacity.
BAM Investigates Structural Improvements in Sodium-Ion Anodes Read More »
