IiMinerali ze-Deep Seabed azikwazi ukuxhasa iNguquko yoHlaza: Icandelo loku-1

Iinkampani zemigodi zi ukutyhala imigodi enzulu yolwandle (DSM) njengoko kuyimfuneko kutshintsho oluluhlaza. Bajonge ukukhupha izimbiwa ezifana ne-cobalt, ubhedu, i-nickel, kunye ne-manganese, bexoxa ukuba ezi zimbiwa ziyafuneka ukulwa nokutshintsha kwemozulu kunye nokutshintshela kuqoqosho lwekhabhoni ephantsi. 

Ngokwenyani, eli bali lizama ukusiqinisekisa ukuba umonakalo ongenakulungiseka kwintlobo-ntlobo zezinto eziphilayo kumbindi wolwandle bububi obuyimfuneko kwindlela eya kwi-decarbonization. Isithuthi sombane (EV), ibhetri, kunye nabavelisi bombane; oorhulumente; kwaye abanye bagxile kwinguqu yamandla baya bengavumi. Endaweni yoko, ngokusungula izinto ezintsha kunye nobudlelwane bokuyila, benza indlela engcono: Imitsi yamva nje kwinguqulelo yebhetri ibonisa intshukumo ekude ekukhupheni izimbiwa ezinzulu zolwandle, kunye nokuphuhlisa uqoqosho olujikelezayo oluya kuthi luthobe ukuxhomekeka kwehlabathi kwimigodi yomhlaba. 

Ezi nkqubela phambili zenzeka ngokuhambelana nokukhula kokuqondwa kokuba utshintsho lwamandla oluzinzileyo alunakwakhiwa ngeendleko zokukhupha ishishini elizikhuphayo, elilungele ukutshabalalisa eyona nkqubo yendalo eqondwa kancinane yesijikelezi-langa (ulwandle olunzulu) ngelixa iphazamisa iinkonzo ezibalulekileyo ezinikelayo. Inyathelo lezeMali leNkqubo yeZizwe eziManyeneyo (UNEP FI) likhutshiwe ingxelo ye2022 – ejoliswe kubabukeli kwicandelo lezemali, njengeebhanki, i-inshurensi, kunye nabatyali-zimali – kwezemali, kwibhayoloji, kunye neminye imingcipheko yokwembiwa kwemigodi enzulu elwandle. Ingxelo iqukumbela ngelithi “ayikho indlela ebonwa kwangaphambili apho ukuxhaswa ngezimali kwemisebenzi yemigodi enzulu elwandle kunokubonwa njengokuhambelanayo Imigaqo yeMali yoQoqosho oluZinzileyo.” Nkqu neNkampani yeeMetals (TMC), omnye wabaxhasi abakhwaza kakhulu be-DSM, iyavuma ukuba ubuchwepheshe obutsha busenokungafuni izimbiwa ezinzulu eziselwandle, kwaye iindleko zeDSM asilele ukuthethelela imisebenzi yorhwebo. 

Ngamehlo abekwe kuqoqosho lohlaza lwexesha elizayo, ukusungulwa kweteknoloji kuvula indlela yotshintsho oluzinzileyo ngaphandle kweeminerali ezinzulu zolwandle okanye umngcipheko okhoyo kwi-DSM. Sidibanise uluhlu lweblogi enamacandelo amathathu, siqaqambisa ezi nkqubela phambili kumashishini ahlukeneyo.

Ukwenziwa kwezinto ezintsha kwebhetri kuyayigqitha imfuneko yeeminerali ezinzulu zolwandle

Itekhnoloji yebhetri iyaphuhla kwaye iguqula imarike, kunye nezinto ezintsha ayifuni okanye i-nickel encinci okanye i-cobalt: Izimbiwa ezimbini eziya kuba ngabasebenzi basezimayini ziya kuzama ukufumana ukusuka elwandle. Ukunciphisa ukuxhomekeka kunye nemfuno yezi zimbiwa kunika indlela yokuphepha i-DSM, ukunciphisa imigodi yomhlaba, kunye nokunqanda iinkxalabo ze-geopolitical mineral. 

Iinkampani sele zityala imali kwezinye iindlela kwiibhetri ze-nickel zendabuko kunye ne-cobalt, zithembisa iindlela ezintsha zokufumana iziphumo ezingcono.

Umzekelo, uClarios, inkokeli yehlabathi jikelele kwitekhnoloji yebhetri, idityaniswe neNatron Energy Inc. ukuvelisa ubunzima beebhetri zesodium. Iibhetri zesodium-ion, enye indlela eya ithandwa kakhulu kwiibhetri ze-lithium-ion, ayinazo iiminerali njenge-cobalt, i-nickel, okanye ubhedu. 

Abavelisi be-EV bakwasebenzisa ubugcisa obutsha ukunciphisa imfuno yabo yezimbiwa ezinzulu zolwandle.

UTesla usebenzisa ngoku ibhetri ye-lithium iron phosphate (LFP). kuzo zonke iimoto zeModel Y kunye neModeli ye-3, engadingi nickel okanye i-cobalt. Ngokufanayo, inombolo yehlabathi ye-2 yomenzi wemoto yombane, i-BYD, ibhengeze izicwangciso ukuya kwiibhetri zeLFP kwaye kude ne-nickel-, i-cobalt-, kunye ne-manganese (NCM)-esekelwe iibhetri. I-SAIC Motors ivelise i Iseli yokuqala ye-hydrogen ephezulu esekelwe kwi-EVs ngo 2020, yaye ngoJuni 2022, inkampani UK-based Tevva yasungula i Ilori yombane yokuqala ye-hydrogen. 

Ukusuka kubenzi beebhetri ukuya kubavelisi be-EV, iinkampani zenza amanyathelo okunciphisa ukuxhomekeka okubonwayo kwiiminerali, kubandakanywa nezo zisuka elwandle olunzulu. Ngexesha ababeza kuba ngabembi basezimayini banokubuya nezinto ezivela enzulwini - nto leyo abayivumayo isenokungenzeki ngokobugcisa okanye ngokoqoqosho – sisenokungadingi namnye kubo. Nangona kunjalo, ukunciphisa ukusetyenziswa kwezi zimbiwa yinto nje enye yepuzzle.