CATL and Government Subsidies
China’s desire to control the cobalt supply is connected to its desire to develop its electric-vehicle industry. Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), founded in 2011 and headquartered in Ningde City in southern China’s Fujian Province, is currently the world’s largest manufacturer of battery cells to power EVs.
CATL has a strong presence in Congo. According to multiple Chinese media, CATL has control over an Ivory Coast company, Societe de Mines, which has mining rights to lithium deposits in Congo. Lithium is another key mineral used to manufacture lithium-ion batteries used to power EVs.
According to a May 25 article by Chinese news portal Sina, CATL is also a shareholder of Canadian company Tanalex Resources, which has mining rights in Congo to lithium, cobalt, and tantalum deposits.
AVZ Price at posting:
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