Analysis of international nickel flow based on the industrial chain

Abstract

Nickel is one of six key metals needed for the global low-carbon energy transition. In recent years, with the rapid rise of the new energy vehicle industry, the imbalance between the global nickel resource supply and demand has become increasingly obvious. The intensification of the contradiction between supply and demand can easily lead to security concerns regarding the supply of resources, and supply shortages will endanger the healthy and orderly development of the whole industrial chain. Understanding the trade structure characteristics of the industrial chain and the correlation between adjacent layers can provide a certain reference for decision makers to prevent supply risks. Hence, based on the trade data related to the nickel industry chain, combined with complex network theory and the material flow analysis method, the multi-layer trade network of the nickel industry chain is constructed. Through the analysis of network characteristics, it is found that global competition for intermediate nickel products is fiercest. Under the influence of two driving factors, the core trading countries in each layer show two different export patterns. In addition, China's nickel industry chain development is the most vulnerable in the world. At the same time, the further down the nickel chain, the stronger the correlation between adjacent layers are, and the integrity of a national industrial chain can provide a certain reference for preventing supply risks. Finally, corresponding policy suggestions are provided for different types of countries participating in the nickel resource trade.