The solid-state battery materials market is projected to grow at a 28.4% CAGR to $4B+ by 2030, with new price assessments for key electrolytes. Concurrently, deep-sea mining for battery metals gains momentum as a strategic supply alternative, while black mass recycling is identified as a critical future raw material source. Innovation extends to minerals like awaruite, a nickel-cobalt alloy enabling simpler processing. These developments mark a pivot from traditional supply chains to diversified, tech-driven sources for the energy transition.
The commercialization of solid-state batteries (SSBs) takes place. This move indicates that these materials are now traded in sufficient volume to warrant transparent pricing—a key milestone for industry growth. Market research aligns with this, projecting the global solid-state battery materials market to explode from $1.48 billion in 2026 to $4.03 billion by 2030, a 28.4% CAGR. This growth is primarily driven by the demand for higher energy density and safety in EVs, with ceramic and sulfide electrolytes leading the development charge.
The circular economy and novel extraction are becoming central to supply security.
Black Mass: While not detailed in price in these articles, the growing focus on battery recycling implicitly positions black mass (shredded spent batteries) as a crucial future “ore.” Policy and corporate strategies are increasingly targeting this stream.
Deep-Sea Mining: A dedicated market report projects the deep-sea mining sector to grow at a 16.5% CAGR to $16.3 billion by 2033, driven by the need for polymetallic nodules rich in nickel, cobalt, manganese, and copper. This highlights the extreme lengths the industry is considering to meet future demand, despite significant environmental and regulatory hurdles.
Awaruite: First Atlantic Nickel’s results from its Pipestone project present awaruite as a unique, naturally occurring nickel-iron-cobalt alloy. Its key advantage is metallurgical: as a native metal, it can be concentrated via magnetic separation, potentially bypassing energy-intensive smelting. This represents a promising alternative for lower-carbon, geopolitically friendly nickel and cobalt units.
While lithium and nickel dominate headlines, graphite remains a vital anode material. Canada Carbon completed a third drilling campaign at its Asbury Graphite Property in Québec, aiming to update its NI 43-101 resource. This reflects ongoing investment in North American graphite development, critical for insulating anode supply chains from Chinese export controls.
The trends in solid-state materials, recycling, and innovative mineral resources like awaruite are unequivocally bullish. Investment, R&D, and market-making activity are accelerating simultaneously. These segments represent the strategic response to the vulnerabilities exposed in traditional battery metal supply chains. While timelines vary, the direction is clear: diversification through technology is the paramount theme for the next decade. Companies and investors positioned in these frontier areas are likely to capture disproportionate value as the energy transition matures.