But lithium is worthy of a close look right now. The metal is crucial for lithium-ion batteries used in phones and laptops, electric vehicles, and large-scale energy storage arrays on the grid.
Prices have been on quite the roller coaster over the last few years, and they’re ticking up again. What happens next could have big implications for mining and battery technology. Read the full story. This story first appeared in The Spark, our newsletter all about the tech we can use to combat the climate crisis. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 Trump has climbed down from his plan for the US to take Greenland
To the relief of many across Europe. (BBC)
+ Trump says he’s agreed a deal to access Greenland’s rare earths. Experts say that’s ‘bonkers.’ (CNN)
+ European leaders are feeling flummoxed about what’s going on. (FT $)
2 Apple is reportedly developing a wearable AI pin
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