Assessing the potential of quebec lithium industry: Mineral reserves, lithium-ion batteries production and greenhouse gas emissions
Sebastián Ibarra-Gutiérrez, Jocelyn Bouchard, Marcel Laflamme, Konstantinos Fytas
Abstract
The demand for lithium-ion batteries, mainly for manufacturing electric vehicles (EV), has triggered an unprecedented interest for this metal. Quebec, which has some of the world's largest spodumene (hard rock lithium mineral) deposits, has promoted the development of lithium production projects. Through a review of recent feasibility studies and a case study of three local production scenarios, this paper assesses the potential of this industry in terms of quantifying the province's mineral reserves and the perspectives of producing lithium-ion batteries for EVs while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The eventual exploitation of lithium in Quebec would be able to produce between 19 and 91 million lithium-ion batteries for EVs depending on the scenario. This study also confirms that the very low emission factor of electricity production in Quebec allows the province's lithium products to be advantageous regarding GHG emissions throughout the lifecycle. A scenario of local production of lithium-ion batteries for EVs in Quebec would enable reductions between 28.21 and 118.22 kg CO2 per ton of LCE used in the province, when considering only the transportation requirements, for an equivalent import from the United States or China, respectively. Results show that the province should consider adding an additional value to its lithium extraction by producing and exporting lithium-ion batteries for EVs.