Interview with Dr. Vizza on lithium and rare materials: the importance of urban mines
CNR-ICCOM Director Dr. Francesco Vizza was interviewed by the RES Magazine on the issue of the situation of the production of lithium batteries, examining the problems related to the costs of rare materials or to be considered, and the prospects for their recycling from a perspective of circular and sustainable economy.
In the words of Dr. Vizza: “At the center of attention are the so-called active metals, those involved in the energy storage reaction. The main ones are essentially lithium and cobalt. Their availability and the environmental and social sustainability of their extraction represent a critical point of the storage system and therefore of the whole relaunch of the electricity sector which has renewable sources at its center. We must ask ourselves: how long will these resources last? What can we do to extend the life of technologies based on these materials? ”
The interview article (in Italian) can be downloaded at this link.