Cathodes
The cathode is the most valuable component of the battery cell as it is made from several specialty and critical minerals and metals. The cathode is the positive electrode of the battery. Here lithium and metal oxides are located. When the battery is empty, all lithium ions are stored in the cathode. During charging, lithium ions move from the cathode through the electrolyte to the anode. Electrons that were attached to the lithium in the cathode also move to the anode but in a separate circuit. When the battery is full, all lithium ions and their separated electrodes are in the anode.
Critical minerals used in Cathodes
Traded commodities related to Cathodes
The United Nations Comtrade database provides detailed trade statistics by product and trading partner. Imported and exported products are classified under the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS system), used uniformly by most customs authorities around the world. Based on the latest update of the HS system and data available in UN Comtrade, you can find below the relevant commodities related to this technology, including their HS codes and full descriptions.
We have classified these technology-related commodities into three groups: Midstream (chemical and material inputs of technology components), Downstream (fully assembled components or products), and Waste/Recycling (including recycled or waste products and components). Commodities are further arranged according to the relevant technology components.