Today: Orivium says it can produce copper in a greener way and help the U.S. become less reliant on overseas supply; chocolate makers cut down on cocoa amid price volatility; CATL showcases its latest battery technology.

Welcome back: A startup that aims to extract copper from mining waste and hard-to-process ores is looking to raise $20 million to develop technology it thinks can unlock valuable critical minerals and lessen U.S. reliance on foreign-made metal, the WSJ's Rhiannon Hoyle reports.

Melbourne, Australia-based Orivium says it can separate metals from waste and ore without the massive amounts of energy and chemicals used in traditional smelting and refining methods. Chief Executive Bill Amelio—formerly CEO of Chinese computer giant Lenovo and electronic components distributor Avnet—likens the process to fracking, only greener.

Traditionally, miners leach copper from piles of crushed ore by soaking it in sulfuric acid, dissolving the copper into solution. Orivium instead applies a mild electrical current to common reagents that allow it to dissolve and extract the metal at faster rates, said founder and Executive Chair Emma Clark, a 20-year veteran of Exxon Mobil.

The reagents are recyclable, water is reused and the process, which can be powered by solar or wind, produces hydrogen as another product, she said. Using the technology on waste can also help clean up environmental hazards from old mines, while potentially reducing how many new pits are needed, said Clark.

Orivium joins a wave of companies trying different ways to solve a problem that’s been nagging at the Trump administration: America’s reliance on others, especially China, for metals essential to manufacturing and defense.

After more than two years of chaos in cocoa markets, chocolatiers are growing hungry for alternatives—with the strain falling on raw producers.

The Journal's Aimee Look and Joe Stonor write that for Barry Callebaut, one of the largest refiners of raw cocoa globally and a seller of confectionery chocolate, recent downbeat cocoa prices helped prompt a profit warning.

And foods giant Nestle rejigged its Toffee Crisp range and Blue Riband recipes in the U.K. so much that the products no longer could be called ‘chocolate’ at the end of last year. Missing the 20% minimum threshold for cocoa solids in a bar, Nestle had to change the labeling.

In February, Reese’s owner Hershey came under fire from Brad Reese—grandson of creator H.B. Reese—when he said the company changed some recipes. Hershey responded that it adjusts its formulations for new shapes and other innovations, but keeps the original peanut butter cup recipe.

Contemporary Amperex Technology showcased improvements to its fast-charging batteries at its much-anticipated technology day.

The WSJ's Jiahui Huang writes that the Tesla supplier on Tuesday introduced its new Shenxing 3 battery, which it says can charge from 10% to 98% in about 6.5 minutes under normal temperatures, bringing electric-vehicle charging time closer to the time taken to refuel gasoline vehicles.

The charging speed also surpassed the roughly nine-minute fast-charging technology unveiled by Chinese EV giant BYD last month.

The company also launched the Qilin 3 battery, which it says can deliver a 1,000-kilometer driving range and weighs only 625 kilograms, much lighter than the BYD Long Blade 2.0 battery.

The European Union has floated ideas from shoring up grids to encouraging member states to coordinate on fuel storage in a bid to mitigate volatile energy prices brought on by the conflict in the Middle East.

The WSJ's Edith Hancock reports that the plan—called AccelerateEU—includes encouraging the bloc’s 27 member states to coordinate in areas like refilling of underground gas storage and exceptional releases of oil stocks.

The measures include setting up a fuel observatory to monitor supplies, accelerating electrification and bolstering domestic clean-energy production. Officials said that member states that have a high share of renewables and nuclear in their energy mix and a flexible electricity system are generally less exposed to the crisis.

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• Hawaii’s largest utility warns residential customers of a 20% to 30% jump in electric bills, with Alaska also expecting higher costs. (WSJ)
   
• A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to lift its blockade on new U.S. wind and solar projects. (Canary Media)
   
• Global clean power output grew faster than electricity demand last year, according to new figures, pointing to a permanent shift. (FT)
   
• Growing demand for long-lasting batteries offers a rare opportunity for U.S. and European clean technology companies.  (Bloomberg)
   
• More than 100 former NASA astronauts are launching a nonprofit advocating for constitutional limits and civic responsibility. (WSJ)

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