All Chilean lithium now comes from mines with ratings from the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), following SQM receiving its rating last week. Chile is forecast to produce a quarter of global lithium this year, according Benchmark’s Lithium Forecast. IRMA is the most rigorous mining standard in the world, comprising over 400 metrics across […]
> South Korea’s battery industry is one of the most developed and globally integrated ecosystems in the world. Yet beneath the surface of its technical leadership lies a sense of caution: competition from China is intensifying, margins are thin, and chemistry choices are shifting rapidly. A recent visit by Benchmark’s Lithium Product Director, Cameron Perks – […]
> Benchmark Mineral Intelligence announced today that it has started a formal consultation on changes to the sustainable lithium and sustainable nickel grades in its Lithium Price Assessment and Nickel Price Assessment Methodologies. Benchmark proposes to change the frequency of updates to its list of eligible producers, whose material can contribute to these grades, from quarterly […]
> Significant investment into lithium metal production will be needed if North America’s planned production of lithium metal batteries is to be met with domestically sourced anode material, according to Benchmark’s Solid-state Batteries Forecast. In such batteries, lithium metal is used in place of the graphite found in more traditional lithium ion battery anodes, leading to […]
> CODELCO, the Chilean state-owned copper miner, has reportedly offered their European customers record premiums on copper cathodes at USD 325/t for 2026 – 39% higher than last year’s level – according to sources familiar with the matter and media reports. This follows on from news last week that Aurubis increased offers 38% for 2026, leaving […]
> SQM and the National Copper Corporation of Chile, Codelco, will form a partnership for the development of mining and production activities at SQM’s Salar de Atacama site. The two companies entered a formal partnership agreement on 31 May 2024, after having signed a memorandum of understanding in December last year. “This announcement comes as expected […]
> Indonesia has issued a ban on the issuance of new smelter permits for nickel matte, mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP), and nickel pig iron (NPI), in a bid to curb overcapacity and incentivise value‑added investment in the battery supply chain. The policy marks the latest chapter in the Indonesian government’s strategic pivot in its nickel industrialisation […]
> Lithium chemical prices spiked in China on Monday following a bullish speech by the chairman of Ganfeng – the world’s third-largest lithium producer – in which it was suggested that lithium demand growth could reach 30% in 2026. In a keynote speech on 16 November at the 10th International Summit on Power Battery Application in […]
> The US Department of Homeland Security has designated copper and lithium imports from China for “high‑priority” enforcement under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), due to alleged human‑rights abuses in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The enforcement plan sets sector‑specific requirements for traceability, documentation, and verification to prevent goods linked to forced labour in […]