Nickel’s problem with waste

For many of the newest lithium-ion batteries, reducing the amount of cobalt in the mix means increasing the share of nickel. But nickel comes with its own set of environmental concerns: Once it is extracted from the ground, the processing of nickel ores generates far more waste than it does usable material. And dealing with this waste is a growing problem for many producers.

Issue 02-2021

Construction of a dam to store tailings from nickel processing in the French south pacific territory of New Caledonia. Storing tailings behind dams is a method that has faced increasing criticism after several collapses in recent years.

Image: Barsa Muphe

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