Can Battery Recycling Break China's Stranglehold on Rare Earth Metals?

Securing reliable and affordable rare earth element supplies has become a key concern in the global clean energy transition. Some have gone so far as to rebrand lithium, the third periodic element, as “white gold” due to its central role as a “critical mineral” in clean technologies including electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy storage.  Speculation about the key role of lithium in a transitioning economy has led to some volatility in the market. Lithium prices took a nosedive in the past year due to a combination…