Development of a trusted supply chain for Australian battery minerals and products

Project completed by Future Battery Industries CRC which receives allocation of MRIWA funds.

The Challenge

Ethical and sustainable sourcing of battery materials is becoming an increasingly important factor in the entire battery supply chain ecosystem, especially for EV consumers.

Australia has a unique opportunity to utilise our leading position in raw battery mineral export to capitalise on current global opportunities through the battery value chain.

Proposed Solution

The project has pioneered chemical fingerprinting techniques for lithium provenance verification, establishing a rigorous scientific basis for ensuring the integrity of Australian battery materials.

Work undertaken in this project, significantly informed the work of the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) Critical Raw Materials (CRM) Traceability and Sustainability Project. Further information about the Critical Raw Materials project can be located here.

Proposed Benefit to WA

These methods, together with traceability solutions, can create a comprehensive approach that verifies the source of raw materials and supports transparency throughout the entire supply chain. The initial focus on lithium provides a scalable model that can later be adapted for other critical materials, such as cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements.