The article "Lithium-Ion Battery Supply Chain Considerations: Analysis of Potential Bottlenecks in Critical Metals" by Elsa A. Olivetti, Gerbrand Ceder, Gabrielle G. Gaustad, and Xinkai Fu, published in Joule, examines the supply chain dynamics of critical metals used in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The authors track the metal content in LIB cathode materials and assess the supply of key constituents such as manganese, nickel, and natural graphite, finding that these materials are sufficient to meet anticipated demand. However, there are potential challenges with lithium and cobalt, particularly in the short term. The geopolitical concentration of cobalt, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), poses significant risks. Recycling is unlikely to provide a significant short-term supply boost due to the long lifetimes of LIBs. The article also discusses the potential for new technologies to reduce the reliance on cobalt, such as solid-state batteries and cathode materials without cobalt. Overall, while the supply of most materials for LIBs is expected to meet future demand, there are concerns about the supply of cobalt, especially if electric vehicle adoption accelerates.The article "Lithium-Ion Battery Supply Chain Considerations: Analysis of Potential Bottlenecks in Critical Metals" by Elsa A. Olivetti, Gerbrand Ceder, Gabrielle G. Gaustad, and Xinkai Fu, published in Joule, examines the supply chain dynamics of critical metals used in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The authors track the metal content in LIB cathode materials and assess the supply of key constituents such as manganese, nickel, and natural graphite, finding that these materials are sufficient to meet anticipated demand. However, there are potential challenges with lithium and cobalt, particularly in the short term. The geopolitical concentration of cobalt, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), poses significant risks. Recycling is unlikely to provide a significant short-term supply boost due to the long lifetimes of LIBs. The article also discusses the potential for new technologies to reduce the reliance on cobalt, such as solid-state batteries and cathode materials without cobalt. Overall, while the supply of most materials for LIBs is expected to meet future demand, there are concerns about the supply of cobalt, especially if electric vehicle adoption accelerates.