# Critical Minerals and Components for Batteries

Batteries depend on 26 critical minerals, from lithium and graphite to nickel, used in products such as grid-scale battery storage system and lead-acid battery. Stockatomics links 63 listed companies to batteries through the minerals they produce, process or recover and the components they make or buy.

Source: https://www.stockatomics.com/sectors/batteries
Critical minerals: 26
Components: 1
Linked companies: 63

## Minerals and components for batteries

The minerals and components batteries depend on, tightest supply first, with each one’s supply verdict, price change over one month and one year, and top import origin.

| Name | Type | Supply | 1M change | 1Y change | Top origin |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Cobalt](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/cobalt-price-us) | Mineral | Tightening | −3.9% | +82.0% | Canada |
| [Lithium-ion cells and batteries](https://www.stockatomics.com/components/lithium-cells) | Component | Tightening | +8.4% | +36.8% | China |
| [Lithium](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/lithium-price-us) | Mineral | Tightening | +24.4% | +59.9% | Chile |
| [Graphite](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/graphite-price-us) | Mineral | Stable | −40.4% | −18.8% | China |
| [Lead](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/lead-price-us) | Mineral | Stable | −7.7% | −7.8% | Mexico |

All Battery components: https://www.stockatomics.com/sectors/batteries/components

## The 26 critical minerals batteries depend on

| Mineral | Role in Batteries | Price per kg (USD) | 1M change | Stocks |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Aluminum](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/aluminum-price-us) | Cathode current collector foil and cell casings | $3.63 per kg contained | −7.7% | [Aluminum stocks](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/aluminum-stocks) |
| [Antimony](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/antimony-price-us) | Hardening the grids of lead-acid batteries | $22.87 per kg contained | −9.5% | - |
| [Boron](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/boron-price-us) |  | $5.27 per kg contained | −6.5% | - |
| [Cerium](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/cerium-price-us) | Nickel-metal hydride battery alloys | $2.10 per kg contained | - | - |
| [Chromium](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/chromium-price-us) |  | $1.86 per kg contained | - | - |
| [Cobalt](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/cobalt-price-us) | Cathode stability in nickel-manganese-cobalt cells | $56.81 per kg contained | −3.9% | [Cobalt stocks](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/cobalt-stocks) |
| [Copper](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/copper-price-us) | Anode current collector foil and busbars | $13.92 per kg contained | +2.2% | [Copper stocks](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/copper-stocks) |
| [Dysprosium](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/dysprosium-price-us) |  | $274.30 per kg contained | - | - |
| [Fluorspar](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/fluorspar-price-us) | Electrolyte salt and electrode binder | $0.54 per kg fluorspar | +9.3% | - |
| [Graphite](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/graphite-price-us) | The anode in almost every lithium-ion cell | $1.17 per kg graphite | −40.4% | - |
| [Lanthanum](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/lanthanum-price-us) | Nickel-metal hydride battery anodes | $1.17 per kg contained | - | - |
| [Lead](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/lead-price-us) | Lead-acid batteries | $1.93 per kg contained | −7.7% | [Lead stocks](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/lead-stocks) |
| [Lithium](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/lithium-price-us) | The lithium in every lithium-ion cell, in cathode and electrolyte | $89.62 per kg contained | +24.4% | [Lithium stocks](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/lithium-stocks) |
| [Magnesium](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/magnesium-price-us) | Research into magnesium batteries | $3.99 per kg contained | −2.0% | - |
| [Manganese](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/manganese-price-us) | Nickel-manganese-cobalt and lithium manganese iron phosphate cathodes | $0.58 per kg contained | - | [Manganese stocks](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/manganese-stocks) |
| [Metallurgical coal](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/metallurgical-coal-price-us) |  | $0.15 per kg coal | +1.2% | [Metallurgical coal stocks](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/metallurgical-coal-stocks) |
| [Neodymium](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/neodymium-price-us) |  | $85.14 per kg contained | - | - |
| [Nickel](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/nickel-price-us) | Nickel-rich cathodes and nickel-metal hydride batteries | $17.24 per kg contained | −5.8% | [Nickel stocks](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/nickel-stocks) |
| [Niobium](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/niobium-price-us) | Niobium-titanium oxide fast-charging anodes | $42.82 per kg contained | −0.6% | - |
| [Phosphate](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/phosphate-price-us) | Lithium iron phosphate cathodes | $0.091 per kg phosphate rock | +5.5% | [Phosphate stocks](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/phosphate-stocks) |
| [Praseodymium](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/praseodymium-price-us) |  | $89.40 per kg contained | - | - |
| [Silicon](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/silicon-price-us) | Silicon-graphite anodes for higher energy | $2.85 per kg contained | −5.5% | - |
| [Silver](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/silver-price-us) |  | $2,040 per kg contained | +5.7% | [Silver stocks](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/silver-stocks) |
| [Tin](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/tin-price-us) | Solder in battery management electronics | $52.30 per kg contained | −0.2% | - |
| [Vanadium](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/vanadium-price-us) | Vanadium redox flow batteries | $23.90 per kg contained | −9.7% | - |
| [Zinc](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/zinc-price-us) | Zinc-air and zinc-ion batteries | $3.79 per kg contained | −0.2% | [Zinc stocks](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/zinc-stocks) |

## Products in batteries

- Grid-scale battery storage system
- Lead-acid battery
- LFP lithium-ion cell
- NCA lithium-ion cell
- NMC811 lithium-ion cell
- Sodium-ion cell
- Solid-state battery cell
- Vanadium redox flow battery

## Batteries and critical minerals

Batteries have become the swing factor in several critical mineral markets. Lithium-ion cells power electric vehicles, phones and laptops, and increasingly the grid-scale storage systems that balance wind and solar power and keep data centres running. Each cell is a stack of mineral-intensive layers: a cathode of lithium with nickel, manganese and cobalt or with iron phosphate, an anode of graphite, sometimes blended with silicon, current collectors of aluminum and copper, and an electrolyte built on fluorine chemistry.

Beyond lithium-ion, the battery world is broader than it looks. Lead-acid batteries, hardened with antimony, still start most cars and back up telecoms networks and data centres. Vanadium flow batteries store power for long periods, nickel-metal hydride cells built on lanthanum and cerium still run in hybrids, while sodium-ion and other emerging chemistries aim to reduce reliance on the scarcest materials.

Stockatomics maps 26 critical minerals to batteries, across every chemistry from the cathode to the casing.

## Why batteries need these minerals

Every battery chemistry is a different recipe of critical minerals, and the shift between them can reshape whole markets.

### Cathodes

The cathode stores lithium and sets most of a battery's performance and cost. Nickel-manganese-cobalt cathodes use **lithium**, **nickel**, **manganese** and **cobalt**, lithium iron phosphate uses lithium with iron and **phosphate**, and newer lithium manganese iron phosphate adds manganese for more energy.

### Anodes

**Graphite**, natural or synthetic, is the anode material in almost every lithium-ion cell. **Silicon** is being blended in to store more lithium, while lithium titanate, made with **titanium**, and **niobium**-titanium oxide anodes trade energy for very fast charging and long life.

### Electrolyte, binders and foils

The electrolyte salt and the binder that holds electrodes together are both fluorine chemicals derived from **fluorspar**. Current collectors are foils of **aluminum** on the cathode side and **copper** on the anode side.

### Other chemistries

Lead-acid batteries use **lead**, hardened with **antimony**. Vanadium flow batteries store energy in **vanadium** electrolyte, nickel-metal hydride batteries rely on **nickel** with **lanthanum** and **cerium**, and zinc-based batteries use **zinc**.

## Batteries supply chain risks

Battery supply chains are the most China-centred of any clean energy technology. China refines most of the world's lithium, cobalt and graphite, produces most cathode and anode materials, and makes most battery cells. Raw materials are also concentrated: Australia and South America for lithium, the Democratic Republic of Congo for cobalt, Indonesia for nickel.

China has placed graphite under export permits and has moved to control exports of some battery technologies, while the US and EU have introduced tariffs, sourcing rules and subsidies designed to build supply chains elsewhere.

### What that means for battery makers

- Cell makers outside China are securing long-term offtake from mines and refiners in allied countries
- Chemistries that avoid nickel and cobalt, and newer sodium-ion designs, reduce exposure to the scarcest minerals
- Recycling is becoming a strategic source of lithium, nickel and cobalt

## What is changing for batteries

As of October 2026, batteries are growing fastest in energy storage, where grid operators and data centres want backup and balancing power, as well as in electric vehicles. Prices for cells have fallen sharply, helped by cheaper lithium and Chinese manufacturing scale.

### What to watch

- **Lithium iron phosphate dominance:** cheaper, longer-lasting cells are winning in storage and many vehicles
- **Sodium-ion:** the first commercial sodium-ion cells could reduce lithium demand at the low end of the market
- **Silicon anodes:** blending silicon into graphite anodes raises energy density
- **Supply chain rules:** US and European restrictions on Chinese batteries and materials are reshaping where cells are made
- **Recycling:** battery recycling is becoming a significant source of lithium, nickel, cobalt and copper

## In the Stockatomics Terminal

Demand share by mineral, implied demand value, demand growth scenarios and companies ranked by batteries exposure.

## Companies linked to batteries

| Company | Ticker | Exchange |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Albemarle](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/albemarle-nyse-alb) | ALB | NYSE |
| [Alcoa](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/alcoa-nyse-aa) | AA | NYSE |
| [Alpha Metallurgical Resources](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/alpha-metallurgical-resources-nyse-amr) | AMR | NYSE |
| [Americas Gold and Silver](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/americas-gold-and-silver-nyse-american-usas) | USAS | NYSE American |
| [Andrada Mining](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/andrada-mining-aim-atm) | ATM | AIM |
| [Anglo American](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/anglo-american-lon-aal) | AAL | LON |
| [Antofagasta](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/antofagasta-lon-anto) | ANTO | LON |
| [Barrick Mining](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/barrick-mining-nyse-b) | B | NYSE |
| [BHP](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/bhp-nyse-bhp) | BHP | NYSE |
| [Boliden](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/boliden-sto-bol) | BOL | STO |
| [BYD](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/byd-hkg-1211) | 1211 | HKG |
| [Capstone Copper](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/capstone-copper-tse-cs) | CS | TSE |
| [CATL](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/catl-she-300750) | 300750 | SHE |
| [Century Aluminum](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/century-aluminum-nasdaq-cenx) | CENX | NASDAQ |
| [Chalco](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/chalco-hkg-2600) | 2600 | HKG |
| [China Hongqiao](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/china-hongqiao-hkg-1378) | 1378 | HKG |
| [CMOC Group](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/cmoc-group-hkg-3993) | 3993 | HKG |
| [Coeur Mining](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/coeur-mining-nyse-cde) | CDE | NYSE |
| [Eramet](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/eramet-epa-eramet) | ERAMET | EPA |
| [Ferroglobe](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/ferroglobe-nasdaq-gsm) | GSM | NASDAQ |
| [First Majestic Silver](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/first-majestic-silver-nyse-ag) | AG | NYSE |
| [First Quantum Minerals](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/first-quantum-minerals-tse-fm) | FM | TSE |
| [Fluence Energy](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/fluence-energy-nasdaq-flnc) | FLNC | NASDAQ |
| [Ford Motor](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/ford-motor-nyse-f) | F | NYSE |
| [Freeport-McMoRan](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/freeport-mcmoran-nyse-fcx) | FCX | NYSE |
| [Fresnillo](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/fresnillo-otc-fnlpf) | FNLPF | OTC |
| [General Motors](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/general-motors-nyse-gm) | GM | NYSE |
| [Glencore](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/glencore-otc-glcnf) | GLCNF | OTC |
| [Hecla Mining](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/hecla-mining-nyse-hl) | HL | NYSE |
| [Hindustan Zinc](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/hindustan-zinc-nse-hindzinc) | HINDZINC | NSE |
| [Hudbay Minerals](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/hudbay-minerals-tse-hbm) | HBM | TSE |
| [ICL Group](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/icl-group-nyse-icl) | ICL | NYSE |
| [IGO](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/igo-asx-igo) | IGO | ASX |
| [Ivanhoe Mines](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/ivanhoe-mines-tse-ivn) | IVN | TSE |
| [KGHM Polska Miedz](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/kghm-otc-kghpf) | KGHPF | OTC |
| [Largo](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/largo-nasdaq-lgo) | LGO | NASDAQ |
| [LG Energy Solution](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/lg-energy-solution-krx-373220) | 373220 | KRX |
| [Liontown Resources](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/liontown-resources-asx-ltr) | LTR | ASX |
| [Lundin Mining](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/lundin-mining-tse-lun) | LUN | TSE |
| [Lynas Rare Earths](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/lynas-rare-earths-asx-lyc) | LYC | ASX |
| [Mineral Resources](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/mineral-resources-asx-min) | MIN | ASX |
| [Mosaic](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/mosaic-nyse-mos) | MOS | NYSE |
| [MP Materials](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/mp-materials-nyse-mp) | MP | NYSE |
| [Newmont](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/newmont-nyse-nem) | NEM | NYSE |
| [Nexa Resources](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/nexa-resources-nyse-nexa) | NEXA | NYSE |
| [Norsk Hydro](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/norsk-hydro-osl-nhy) | NHY | OSL |
| [Nutrien](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/nutrien-nyse-ntr) | NTR | NYSE |
| [Pan American Silver](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/pan-american-silver-nyse-paas) | PAAS | NYSE |
| [Panasonic](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/panasonic-tyo-6752) | 6752 | TYO |
| [Pilbara Minerals](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/pilbara-minerals-asx-pls) | PLS | ASX |
| [Ramaco Resources](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/ramaco-resources-nasdaq-metc) | METC | NASDAQ |
| [Rio Tinto](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/rio-tinto-nyse-rio) | RIO | NYSE |
| [Samsung SDI](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/samsung-sdi-krx-006400) | 006400 | KRX |
| [Sociedad Quimica y Minera](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/sqm-nyse-sqm) | SQM | NYSE |
| [South32](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/south32-asx-s32) | S32 | ASX |
| [Southern Copper](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/southern-copper-nyse-scco) | SCCO | NYSE |
| [Syrah Resources](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/syrah-resources-otc-syaaf) | SYAAF | OTC |
| [Tesla](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/tesla-nasdaq-tsla) | TSLA | NASDAQ |
| [Titan Mining](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/titan-mining-tse-ti) | TI | TSE |
| [United States Antimony](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/united-states-antimony-nyse-uamy) | UAMY | NYSE |
| [Vale](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/vale-nyse-vale) | VALE | NYSE |
| [Warrior Met Coal](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/warrior-met-coal-nyse-hcc) | HCC | NYSE |
| [Whitehaven Coal](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/whitehaven-coal-asx-whc) | WHC | ASX |

## FAQ

### Which critical minerals are in a lithium-ion battery?

Lithium, plus nickel, manganese and cobalt or iron and phosphate in the cathode, graphite and sometimes silicon in the anode, aluminum and copper foils, and fluorine chemicals in the electrolyte and binder.

### What is the difference between NMC and LFP batteries?

NMC batteries use nickel, manganese and cobalt in the cathode and store more energy for their weight. LFP batteries use iron and phosphate, cost less, last longer and are safer, but are heavier for the same energy.

### Will sodium-ion batteries replace lithium?

Sodium-ion batteries avoid lithium, nickel and cobalt and are being commercialised for cheaper vehicles and storage. They store less energy for their weight, so they are expected to complement lithium-ion rather than replace it.

### Are batteries recycled?

Yes, increasingly. Recycling recovers lithium, nickel, cobalt and copper, and as more batteries reach the end of their life, it is becoming a significant source of supply.

### Which critical minerals do batteries need?

Batteries depend on 26 critical minerals: aluminum, antimony, boron, cerium, chromium, cobalt, copper, dysprosium, fluorspar, graphite, lanthanum, lead, lithium, magnesium, manganese, metallurgical coal, neodymium, nickel, niobium, phosphate, praseodymium, silicon, silver, tin, vanadium and zinc. [Each mineral's role and price per kg](https://www.stockatomics.com/sectors/batteries#minerals-table) is on this page.

### Which companies are linked to batteries?

Stockatomics links 63 listed companies to batteries through the critical minerals they produce, process or recover and the components they make or buy, among them [Albemarle](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/albemarle-nyse-alb) (NYSE: ALB), [Alcoa](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/alcoa-nyse-aa) (NYSE: AA), [Alpha Metallurgical Resources](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/alpha-metallurgical-resources-nyse-amr) (NYSE: AMR), [Americas Gold and Silver](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/americas-gold-and-silver-nyse-american-usas) (NYSE American: USAS), [Andrada Mining](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/andrada-mining-aim-atm) (AIM: ATM) and [Anglo American](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/anglo-american-lon-aal) (LON: AAL). [See all 63](https://www.stockatomics.com/sectors/batteries#companies).

## Related sectors

- [Power Grids](https://www.stockatomics.com/sectors/power-grids): 26 minerals in common
- [Electric Vehicles](https://www.stockatomics.com/sectors/electric-vehicles): 26 minerals in common
- [Defence](https://www.stockatomics.com/sectors/defence): 26 minerals in common

## Sources

- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): the US critical minerals list and where each mineral is used.
- Company filings: each company’s minerals and its role in each.
- Stockatomics: each mineral’s benchmark price per kg.

Last updated 18 October 2026.