What are lithium-ion cells made of?
Lithium-ion cells take 9 things directly, among them lithium carbonate, cobalt, nickel, manganese, synthetic graphite and aluminum. Trace them back and you pass 31 made things on the way to 23 raw materials.
How lithium-ion cells are made What is made from it See it on the map
What goes straight in
From the ground: 23 raw materials
- Lithium brine through lithium carbonate
- Spodumene through lithium carbonate
- Water through copper
- Cobalt ore through cobalt
- Nickel ore through nickel
- Manganese ore through manganese
- Iron ore through manganese
- Natural gas through manganese
- Crude oil through aluminum
- Coal through aluminum
- Copper ore through copper
- Air through copper
- Sulfur through copper, sulfuric acid
- Rock salt through lithium carbonate, soda ash
- Limestone through lithium carbonate, soda ash
- Trona through lithium carbonate, soda ash
- Bauxite through aluminum, alumina
- Dolomite through steel, magnesium
- Corn through lithium carbonate, soda ash, carbon dioxide
- Quartz through steel, magnesium, metallurgical silicon
- Timber through steel, magnesium, metallurgical silicon
- Sugarcane through lithium carbonate, soda ash, carbon dioxide, baker's yeast, molasses
- Sugar beet through lithium carbonate, soda ash, carbon dioxide, baker's yeast, molasses
Made along the way: 22 things
Metals 5
Chemicals and fuels 14
Sulfuric acidSoda ashPetroleum cokeOxygen gasEthyleneQuicklimeArgonAmmoniaCarbon dioxideCaustic sodaNaphthaPropaneHydrogenCharcoal