Segment information (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment [Table Text Block]

Net sales, cost of sales, gross profit and total assets by segments is set out as follows:

	For the years ended December 31,
	2018		2017
	$		$
Net sales
Lithium Business		219,964,972		161,660,771
Ni-MH Batteries and Accessories		73,966,989		53,492,309
New Materials		-		29,013,232
Total		293,931,961		244,166,312
Cost of Sales
Lithium Business		176,414,365		129,295,264
Ni-MH Batteries and Accessories		60,642,360		41,834,267
New Materials		-		25,662,913
Total		237,056,725		196,792,444
Gross Profit
Lithium Business		43,550,607		32,365,507
Ni-MH Batteries and Accessories		13,324,629		11,658,042
New Materials		-		3,350,319
Total		56,875,236		47,373,868

	December 31, 2018		December 31, 2017
	$		$
Total Assets
Lithium Business		231,795,621		171,881,450
Ni-MH Batteries and Accessories		56,260,478		48,383,088
Total		288,056,099		220,264,538

Revenue from External Customers by Geographic Areas [Table Text Block]

All long-lived assets of the Company are located in the PRC. Geographic information about the sales and accounts receivable based on the locations of the Company’s customers is set out as follows:

	For the years ended December 31,
	2018		2017
	$		$
Net sales
China mainland		142,429,214		139,096,630
Asia, others		119,255,566		81,060,414
Europe		24,482,803		18,684,852
North America		7,385,580		4,769,797
Others		378,798		554,619
		293,931,961		244,166,312

	December 31,		December 31,
	2018		2017
	$		$
Accounts receivable
China mainland		38,048,651		37,636,478
Asia, others		33,237,051		15,294,527
Europe		5,413,343		5,189,859
North America		566,769		94,585
Others		14,003		37,550
		77,279,817		58,252,999