Uncovering the evolution of vanadium cycle in China during 2000–2022

Vanadium has been classified as one critical metal by multiple countries. China has the largest vanadium reserve and production capacity in the world and plays a vital role in the global vanadium supply chain. This study aims to uncover China’s vanadium cycle and market features for the period of 20...

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Main Authors: Dong Wu, Yong Geng, Ziyan Gao, Yifan Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-03-01
Series:Resources, Environment and Sustainability
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666916124000410
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author Dong Wu
Yong Geng
Ziyan Gao
Yifan Wu
author_facet Dong Wu
Yong Geng
Ziyan Gao
Yifan Wu
author_sort Dong Wu
collection DOAJ
description Vanadium has been classified as one critical metal by multiple countries. China has the largest vanadium reserve and production capacity in the world and plays a vital role in the global vanadium supply chain. This study aims to uncover China’s vanadium cycle and market features for the period of 2000–2022 by applying dynamic material flow analysis method. The results show that the supply of vanadium had increased more than tenfold from 2000 to 2022, with an accumulated amount of 856 Kt. The majority of vanadium were used for meeting with the domestic demand (679 Kt). Vanadium-containing steel alloys dominated the largest share (87%), while the demand for vanadium redox flow battery increased rapidly, with an average annual growth rate of 21%. Secondary vanadium resources were predominantly recovered from the slags generated from the production stage, with a smaller share from the old scraps collected from end-of-life vanadium-containing products. China mainly imported primary vanadium resources from developing countries and exported intermediate products to developed countries. However, vanadium trade was seriously disrupted by the global financial crisis in 2008 and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Several policies are proposed to promote stable supply and sustainable utilization of vanadium resources from the perspectives of economic incentives, technological development, industrial adjustment, trade structure and strategic reserve.
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spelling doaj-art-be0a7a2bcf3f4ca79c9f355d856446db2025-08-20T02:02:02ZengElsevierResources, Environment and Sustainability2666-91612025-03-011910018810.1016/j.resenv.2024.100188Uncovering the evolution of vanadium cycle in China during 2000–2022Dong Wu0Yong Geng1Ziyan Gao2Yifan Wu3College of Smart Energy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR ChinaSchool of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, PR China; School of Economics and Management, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, PR China; Corresponding author at: School of International and Public Affairs, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China.School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, PR ChinaSchool of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, PR ChinaVanadium has been classified as one critical metal by multiple countries. China has the largest vanadium reserve and production capacity in the world and plays a vital role in the global vanadium supply chain. This study aims to uncover China’s vanadium cycle and market features for the period of 2000–2022 by applying dynamic material flow analysis method. The results show that the supply of vanadium had increased more than tenfold from 2000 to 2022, with an accumulated amount of 856 Kt. The majority of vanadium were used for meeting with the domestic demand (679 Kt). Vanadium-containing steel alloys dominated the largest share (87%), while the demand for vanadium redox flow battery increased rapidly, with an average annual growth rate of 21%. Secondary vanadium resources were predominantly recovered from the slags generated from the production stage, with a smaller share from the old scraps collected from end-of-life vanadium-containing products. China mainly imported primary vanadium resources from developing countries and exported intermediate products to developed countries. However, vanadium trade was seriously disrupted by the global financial crisis in 2008 and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Several policies are proposed to promote stable supply and sustainable utilization of vanadium resources from the perspectives of economic incentives, technological development, industrial adjustment, trade structure and strategic reserve.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666916124000410Vanadium cycleTrade patternResource efficiencyDynamic material flow analysisChina
spellingShingle Dong Wu
Yong Geng
Ziyan Gao
Yifan Wu
Uncovering the evolution of vanadium cycle in China during 2000–2022
Resources, Environment and Sustainability
Vanadium cycle
Trade pattern
Resource efficiency
Dynamic material flow analysis
China
title Uncovering the evolution of vanadium cycle in China during 2000–2022
title_full Uncovering the evolution of vanadium cycle in China during 2000–2022
title_fullStr Uncovering the evolution of vanadium cycle in China during 2000–2022
title_full_unstemmed Uncovering the evolution of vanadium cycle in China during 2000–2022
title_short Uncovering the evolution of vanadium cycle in China during 2000–2022
title_sort uncovering the evolution of vanadium cycle in china during 2000 2022
topic Vanadium cycle
Trade pattern
Resource efficiency
Dynamic material flow analysis
China
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666916124000410
work_keys_str_mv AT dongwu uncoveringtheevolutionofvanadiumcycleinchinaduring20002022
AT yonggeng uncoveringtheevolutionofvanadiumcycleinchinaduring20002022
AT ziyangao uncoveringtheevolutionofvanadiumcycleinchinaduring20002022
AT yifanwu uncoveringtheevolutionofvanadiumcycleinchinaduring20002022