American electric carmaker Tesla has broken ground on a new lithium processing center it says will support the production of up to 1 million vehicles by 2025.
美国电动汽车制造商特斯拉的一家新的锂精炼工厂破土动工，该公司表示，到2025年，该工厂将能支持多达100万辆汽车的生产。
When completed, the factory in the state of Texas will be the largest lithium processor in North America, Reuters news agency reported. The operation will push Tesla outside its main business of manufacturing electric vehicles (EVs). Lithium-based batteries are used to power most EVs.
据路透社报道，这家位于德克萨斯州的工厂建成后，将成为北美最大的锂精炼工厂。这项业务将推动特斯拉脱离其主要的电动汽车制造业务。锂电池用于为大多数电动汽车提供动力。
Tesla chief Elon Musk said at a recent ground-breaking ceremony the processing center will be required for the company to reach its EV sales targets. He explained that in just a few years, lithium supplies worldwide are expected to face major shortages.
特斯拉首席执行官埃隆·马斯克最近在该工厂的奠基仪式上表示，该公司将需要该精炼工厂才能实现其电动汽车的销售目标。他解释说，预计全球锂供应在短短几年后将面临严重短缺。
Musk said Tesla aims to complete construction of the factory next year. It is expected to reach full production about one year later.
马斯克表示，特斯拉的目标是明年完成该工厂的建设。该工厂预计将在大约一年后达到全面投产。
The move will make Tesla the only major automaker in North America to refine its own lithium. Currently, China is the biggest processor of many in-demand minerals, including lithium.
此举将使特斯拉成为北美唯一一家自行提炼锂的大型汽车制造商。目前，中国是包括锂在内的许多畅销原材料的最大加工国。
Texas Governor Greg Abbott attended the ceremony. He said, "Texas wants to be able to be self-reliant, not dependent upon any foreign hostile nation for what we need. We need lithium."
德克萨斯州州长格雷格·阿博特出席了仪式。他说：“得克萨斯州希望能够自力更生，而不是依赖任何外部国家来满足我们的需求。我们需要锂。”
Musk did not give an exact estimate for how much lithium the factory would process each year. But he did say Tesla would continue to buy lithium from two U.S.-based companies it currently uses, Albemarle and Livent. "So it's not that Tesla will do all of it," Musk noted.
马斯克没有对这家锂工厂的年产能给出一个准确的估算。但他确实表示，特斯拉将继续从其目前合作的两家美国公司阿尔伯马尔和莱文特购买锂。马斯克指出：“所以特斯拉并不会包揽一切。”
Albemarle plans to build a lithium processing center in South Carolina that will aim to refine 100,000 tons of the substance each year. Building on that project is expected to begin next year.
阿尔伯马尔公司计划在南卡罗来纳州建立一个锂精炼工厂，目标是每年提炼10万吨这种物质。该项目预计将于明年开始建设。
Musk did not say where Tesla will get the unprocessed lithium, which is known as spodumene concentrate. Currently, the company has supply deals with North Carolina-based Piedmont Lithium and others.
马斯克没有说明特斯拉将从哪里获得未经加工的锂，即锂辉石精矿。目前，该公司与总部位于北卡罗来纳州的皮埃蒙特锂业公司以及其他公司达成了供应协议。
Tesla said it will avoid the lithium industry's traditional refining process, which depends on sulfuric acid and other strong chemicals. Instead, the company said it plans to use materials that cause less environmental harm, such as soda ash.
特斯拉称其将避免采用依赖硫酸和其他烈性化学品的锂行业传统精炼工艺。相反，该公司称其计划使用对环境危害较小的原料，如苏打灰。
"You could live right in the middle of the refinery and not suffer any ill effect," Musk said. "So they're very clean operations." Local media reported, however, that some environmental activists had raised concerns over the processing center.
马斯克说：“你可以生活在精炼厂的正中央而不会受到任何不良影响。所以它们是非常环保的操作。”然而当地媒体报道称，一些环保活动人士对该精炼厂表示担忧。
I'm Bryan Lynn.
我是布莱恩·林恩。(51VOA.COM原创翻译，请勿转载，违者必究！)