Cars more green, thanks to the Quebec

Photo Courtesy Of Nemaska Lithium
The plant Némaska Lithium, located in Shawinigan, could contribute to making the construction of electric cars less polluting and less expensive.

Anne Caroline Desplanques

Sunday, 15 October 2017 23:22

UPDATE
Sunday, 15 October 2017 23:22

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A quebec-based company promises to make batteries for electric vehicles greener than ever before by providing the lithium the least polluting and the least expensive in the world.

The electric car is 25 % more harmful to the environment during its construction as the petrol due to the weight of the mineral resources in its manufacturing, according to a study commissioned by Hydro-Québec. The electric car is, however, more green on the duration of life since it does not use fuel to move forward.

But Nemaska Lithium, a junior mining company in Quebec, has developed a unique process in the world that could make the manufacture of the batteries more green, thanks to hydroelectricity.

Nemaska Lithium operates one of the most important deposits of spodumene in the world, a mineral which is extracted lithium. The mine is situated on the territory of the James Bay and the ore is transformed to Shawinigan.

Less chemicals

Its engineers have developed a process that allows them to produce the lithium through an electrochemical process rather than the chemistry of conventional. This technique reduces from 75% to 80% the amount of chemicals needed in the production chain.

The mine has a tailings reduced and has no retention pond of contaminated water, said Guy Bourassa, president and ceo of Nemaska Lithium.

This reduces the risk of a spill, as it occurred on the site of Québec lithium in 2013. The first time, 50 million litres of contaminated water were spilled due to the rupture of the membrane of a retention basin. The second, 500 000 litres escaped from a pipe transporting the residues.

Millions in royalties

Bertrand Schepper, a researcher at the Institute for research and information on socio-economic, stresses that the adventure Quebec Lithium has cast shadow on this ore, however, considered the ” fuel of the future “, according to Goldman Sachs.

“Historically, these are companies that are paying lower royalties than they receive in subsidies,” criticism Mr. Schepper. Québec Lithium is in bankruptcy in 2014 in swallowing the$ 320 Million, including$ 65 Million of public funds.

Nemaska Lithium, it promises to 825 Million$ in royalties over 26 years, 805 Million$ in federal taxes and 639 Million dollars in provincial tax, to$ 28.6 Million in grants.

The company will send this month that samples of its lithium is unique in the world from one end to the other of the planet to fill its order book.

Already, ” the proposals that we received exceed our production capacity “, said Mr. Bourassa. “There are 17 mega-factories of manufacturing of batteries in the world, and all are in lack of raw material,” smiles the entrepreneur who expects to benefit from the boom.

The global demand for lithium is expected to more than double by 2025, rising to 209 000 tonnes in 2016 to 534 000 tonnes in 2025, according to Deutsche Bank.

The parts of an electric car requires 25 to 30 % more mineral resources than those of a gasoline car, in particular of aluminum, copper, lithium and cobalt.

The James Bay would be able to run Tesla ?

Photo courtesy

Guy Bourassa, President

Nemaska Lithium has the capacity to supply enough lithium to produce 300 000 model 3 of Tesla per year, according to the physicist Pierre Langlois of Université Laval.

But the president and chief executive officer of the quebec-based company does not see Tesla as a panacea, on the contrary.

“Tesla, it’s a story, but this is not the Story,” insists Guy Bourassa.

He explains that the american giant, which will soon open a giga factory in Nevada wants to obtain lithium in North America, but is not willing to pay the market price for this rare type of ore.

In addition, Tesla wants to focus its supply from three suppliers, ” said Mr. Bourassa.

By signing with the american company, Nemaska Lithium would therefore in a relationship of dependency with a client, who would have control of more than 25 % of its production.

Diversification

“We prefer to diversify our customers “, said Mr. Bourassa with caution.

“This is not necessarily a manufacturer of cars that will be our target, but also to major manufacturers such as LG or Panasonic,” explains the business man.

With a client such as LG, lithium quebec could propel the Bolt and the GM Volt, whose batteries are signed LG Chemical.

A part of the production of Nemaska Lithium is already destined for the british manufacturer of batteries, Johnson Matthey, which has a plant in Candiac.

Industrial cluster

“The interesting thing about this is that it is not only extraction, but also of the transformation. It is to be hoped that it leads to the creation of an industrial cluster in Québec, long-term, ” said Bertrand Schepper, a researcher at the Institute of research and socioeconomic information.

“We think that with the establishment of a reliable producer, it’s going to be of interest to manufacturers of cathodes (coin battery) to come “, said Mr. Bourassa.

Footprint of the electric car in Quebec

( comparison with the petrol car )

• 25 % more harmful in consumption of mineral resources
• 65 % fewer harmful emissions, GHG
• 58 % less harmful to the quality of the ecosystems
• 29 % less harmful to human health

Source : CIRAIG/Hydro-Québec