A rock-solid link to battery co-operation

How was Compel Day?
It was a success. The best thing was that we had a broad audience from different research areas and that the programme was appreciated by everyone. There was a very broad range of topics - from raw materials in the rock and why we need batteries to socially important issues such as legislation and land ownership. At its peak, we had close to 50 people in the room and almost 40 on Zoom. I'm also pleased with the more informal conversations in the afternoon, when we were able to reflect on the lecture session in a calm environment.

Did you discuss anything particularly interesting?
Yes, in the discussions after lunch, the idea was to find ideas to work on across disciplines. We managed to gather participants from physics, chemistry, earth sciences, social sciences and material sciences. It's great that there is an interest in getting a bigger picture through our respective fields. It was very much about getting a better understanding of the challenges we face, both in terms of raw materials and society. There are many aspects to consider, such as mining, forestry, tourism, protected areas and fair land distribution.

What was it like to organise this day?
It was both challenging and exciting. I think we were very successful in bringing together a group of experts who complemented each other and gave good presentations. It was a team effort across both institutions and disciplines, so it was fun. I see that approach as beneficial for the future as well. In addition to Compel, which includes both Teknat and the Humsam area, the university's new institute for green energy transition was also involved in the organisation.

What do you normally do?
I am a senior lecturer in geophysics, specialising in the physical properties of minerals and rocks. This involves being able to measure the magnetic properties of rock, for example. My focus is to apply magnetism to different problems in geosciences, mainly to how the upper part of the Earth works and what is there in the crust. That's where the raw material issue comes in for me. Using combined geological and geophysical methods, I can try to find what we are hoping to get in terms of critical raw materials.

How are you involved in Compel?
I am a subject representative in the Uppsala platform of the Compel collaboration. In geosciences, we have a subgroup of Compel, where there are more researchers working with raw materials that can be used for batteries. My goal is to try to find good solutions for our researchers to collaborate with other areas. We are on the right track and I believe that Compel can contribute to greater interconnection. You need to meet people you don't normally meet and try to find solutions. If we use our expertise in a cross-border way, hopefully innovative research projects can be created.

What's coming up from Geocentrum related to Compel?
We have research projects dealing with lithium in Sweden's bedrock, but also graphite or carbon-based substances that may be used in other types of batteries than the traditional lithium batteries. There are opportunities in Sweden to find the minerals and metals listed as critical raw materials, and here we have a link to the related research centre Smart Exploration Research Center, which is funded by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research. Otherwise, there seems to be a certain skills gap between raw materials and the rest of the battery value chain within the university. This concerns how the raw material should be processed in the step between the mines and the battery construction. If this expertise is not available in the larger Compel network, it may be a future initiative within Compel in Uppsala.