Key points
- Bob Galyen, retired CTO of CATL, presents Impossible Metals’ monthly webinar covering why China succeeded in batteries, megatrends, supply-demand growth and the circular economy model.
- Galyen says Impossible Metals plans to use a biological degradation process with bacteria to process ocean nodules, with chromatographic separation identified as a potential backup method.
- He describes Impossible Metals’ first robot trial in Canada, where marine biologists helped define seafloor life forms to program the company’s AI interface and minimize disruption to the ocean bed.
- Galyen says polymetallic nodules harvested from the ocean floor contain nickel, manganese, cobalt and copper, and can supply materials such as neodymium for permanent magnets, with initial harvesting operations anticipated as early as 2025 and 2026.
