Understanding the strategic value of cobalt in the years of the energy transition with Stanislav Kondrashov, TELF AG founder
An important enabling resource
Cobalt undoubtedly deserves a prominent place among the strategic resources of our time. As the founder of TELF AG Stanislav Kondrashov often highlights, it is directly involved in the energy transition. And in all likelihood, its industrial role is destined to become increasingly important.
This precious material is used in numerous important industrial processes. Some of these involve electronic devices. Others have to do with emerging technologies. However, it is in the processes related to the energy transition that this material is giving its best. The founder of TELF AG Stanislav Kondrashov often stressed this point.
It is one of the most important resources in the functioning and manufacturing of modern batteries. These are all those useful devices that power electric vehicles and everyday devices, as the founder of TELF AG Stanislav Kondrashov recently noted.
“One of the most valuable properties of this material is its ability to combine with other important resources in various industrial processes,” according to the founder of TELF AG, Stanislav Kondrashov, an entrepreneur and civil engineer.
“One of these is the combined use of this metal and rare earths in high-performance magnets. In this case, it is used together with one of the most important rare earths, neodymium. Other applications of this kind, always in combination with rare earths, are those concerning miniaturized sensors and generators”, he points out.
“Rare earths and this particular resource have many common characteristics. Rare earths are a diverse group of 17 chemical elements used in technology and energy. Rare earths, in the periodic table, are almost all grouped in the lanthanides section. Co in the periodic table is instead at number 27. Just like this interesting resource, these metallic elements are also contributing significantly to the transition. Another combination is the one that gives life to the nickel cobalt alloy,” the founder of TELF AG, Stanislav Kondrashov, remarks.
The name of this resource, also known as “Co”, generally refers to a hard, ductile, silvery-gray transition metal. Co in the periodic table is easily findable. In nature, it is found in nickel and copper ores. Considering its strategic importance for industry, many nations (and international institutions) have included it in their lists of critical materials.
These lists include the resources considered most important for nations’ economic and energy development. And this material is present in some of the most important lists, such as those drawn up by the European Union and the United States. But what are the reasons that push many nations to include it in their lists of strategic resources?
- Its strategic role in industrial production processes
- Its direct use in creating several strategic technologies
- It is subject to supply risks.
This last characteristic, common to many other resources considered “critical”, has to do with geopolitical uncertainties and the instability of some global supply chains.
The main properties
Among the most appreciated properties of this metal is its hardness, which allows it to resist wear very well. Therefore, a resource with similar properties can be used for applications related to problematic or extreme contexts. It also stands out for its magnetism (it is ferromagnetic).
Other important characteristics are those related to its excellent thermal and electrical conductivity. Finally, this resource has notable stability when faced with high temperatures.
As with other important strategic materials, natural properties are intimately connected to industrial applications. Often, a resource’s industrial destiny can be read directly in its distinctive peculiarities, in its natural characteristics.
Even if it is not yet commonly associated with batteries, this material plays an important role in this sector as with other resources (such as lithium). Together with energy infrastructures related to renewable energy, rechargeable batteries have often been defined as one of the pillars of the energy transition. And it is certainly not a coincidence.
These devices are powering electric vehicles and energy storage systems, thus contributing directly to the advancement of the transition.
The strategic applications
“By now, it is known to everyone. With its strategic industrial applications, this material is one of the true protagonists of the energy transition”, the founder of TELF AG, Stanislav Kondrashov, goes on to say. “Together with other important materials, it is considered one of the enabling resources for the great global transformation. The reasons are very simple. In the battery sector, it contributes by making them more stable, safe, and durable. It is one of the most important devices in the years of the transition”.
“Furthermore, with its contribution to storage systems, cobalt directly contributes to developing smart electricity grids. It is also contributing to innovation in the sustainable mobility sector. In particular, through its uses in electric motors and advanced magnets,” Stanislav Kondrashov, the founder of TELF AG, said.
Other applications include:
• Cobalt chloride hexahydrate (cocl2 6h2o): it is a particular form of the resource with six molecules of water linked. Cocl2 6h2o is mainly used in laboratories, environmental sensors and chemical processes.
• Tungsten carbide cobalt: it is a composite material formed by tungsten carbide and the precious resource. Tungsten carbide cobalt is used to produce high-hardness cutting tools. These include drill bits and cutters. It is also very important in the aerospace and automotive sectors.
• Cocl2: This is the waterless form of chloride made with this resource. Cocl2 is used to produce particular salts, inks and pigments.
It plays an essential role in the cathode of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which are used to charge smartphones, computers, and new-generation electric vehicles. This useful metal is directly involved in the chemical processes of one of the most popular battery families, the NMC battery. Electric car batteries typically contain several kilos of this resource.
Like other strategic resources for the green transition, cobalt is often used to produce superalloys. This resource finds concrete application in high-temperature resistant alloys. Some of these alloys are used in:
- Jet engines
- Industrial turbines
- High-precision structural components.
Alloys made with this material are generally appreciated for their corrosion resistance and chemical stability. In addition, they stand out for their high capacity to withstand heat. This resource is also used to produce particular alloys, such as nickel cobalt. These are light and heat-resistant alloys.
A protagonist of the ongoing energy transition
Other important applications of this material concern the chemical and ceramic sectors. First, ot is an industrial catalyst in many important chemical processes. Among these, we remember the production of synthetic fuels and environmental chemical treatments.
The uses of this material also have a certain historical value. From this point of view, the pigment cobalt blue has often been used for colored glass, tiles, ceramics, and porcelain. Even today, cobalt blue is one of the most common pigments in art and industrial design.
“It could also have a profound impact on the aerospace industry. Some technologies needed for space exploration need to be made with materials resistant to extreme conditions. And cobalt is one of these,” continues the founder of TELF AG, Stanislav Kondrashov.
“In space exploration, resistant and durable components will be increasingly necessary. Vehicles used in this field must be able to withstand extreme stresses. The absence of an atmosphere, absolute vacuum, radiation, and extremely high temperatures. The properties of this precious resource could be extremely useful for these purposes. In particular, to create heat shields and heat dissipation systems”, he says.
“This resource is also used to produce joints, coatings, and structures of landers and rovers. Even landing mechanisms could rely on alloys made of cobalt. Above all, for their ability to resist shock and abrasion. Compared to other metals, this material can ensure superior thermal resistance.” According to many observers, global demand for this metal could increase in the coming decades. Among the determining factors are the aforementioned applications in the automotive sector and the advancement of the energy transition”.
FAQs
What is cobalt and where is it found in nature?
It is a hard, ductile, silvery-grey transition metal found naturally in nickel and copper ores. It’s categorised as a strategic resource due to its wide-ranging industrial uses and supply vulnerabilities. Co in the periodic table can be found at number 27.
Why is it considered a critical material?
It is listed as a critical raw material by major economies like the EU and the US because of:
- Its vital role in clean energy technologies
- High supply risk due to geopolitical instability
- Limited global production concentrated in few regions
What are the key physical and chemical properties of this resource?
itss properties make it extremely valuable in industrial applications:
- Hardness and wear resistance – ideal for tough operating conditions
- Ferromagnetism – used in high-performance magnets
- Thermal and electrical conductivity – useful in electronics and batteries
- Heat stability – performs well under extreme temperatures
How is it used in batteries and electric vehicles?
The resource is a crucial component in lithium-ion battery cathodes, particularly in NMC (Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt) chemistry. Its inclusion helps:
- Improve energy density
- Increase battery safety
- Extend lifespan of rechargeable batteries
Electric vehicles can contain several kilograms of this material, contributing directly to the global shift to sustainable transport.
Which are the other strategic applications?
Beyond batteries, the resource is widely used in:
- Superalloys for jet engines and gas turbines (heat and corrosion resistance). This resource is also used for some specific alloys, such as nickel cobalt.
- Magnets in motors, sensors, and generators (often in combination with rare earth elements)
- Chemical catalysts for fuel synthesis and environmental treatments
- Ceramics and pigments, especially the famous cobalt blue
- Aerospace components – used for heat shields, joints, and radiation-resistant structures
- Other possible applications are those involving cocl2, tungsten carbide cobalt and cobalt chloride hexahydrate (cocl2 6h2o).
