The forgotten battery raw materials: bauxite and aluminium – dust in lungs, batteries in cars

Aluminum plays an important role in the production of batteries in two areas: On the one hand, in addition to steel, the raw material is regularly used in the production of the battery housing. On the other hand, it is used as a cathode collector foil. With the increasing demand for battery production and electromobility, both the demand for primary bauxite and the enormous energy consumption for its further processing are growing: The production of one tonne of aluminium from mined bauxite consumes an average of 15,700 kWh - equivalent to the annual consumption of five four-person households.

In the publication "Bauxite and Aluminium - Dust in the Lungs, Batteries in the Cars", we use visualizations, statistics and quotes to show why the raw material urgently needs to be included in the amended Battery Ordinance. The publication was funded by the Federal Environment Agency and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.