As the world works toward achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, transitioning to a low-carbon economy requires massive amounts of critical metals to produce batteries and other clean energy technologies. For example, on average, a conventional gas car contains five times less selected metal mass than that required to build an electric vehicle. Not surprisingly, the demand for nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese has skyrocketed. Projections from the World Bank are that this demand will increase by 500% by 2050, and its sheer scale raises concerns about these metals’ availability and sustainability. Without deep sea minerals, 388 new mines must be built by 2030 to provide the necessary minerals to meet international government mandates for electric vehicles.
