Arcadium Lithium will transition its Mt Cattlin mine in Western Australia to Care and Maintenance by 2025 due to the continued decline in spodumene prices. Spodumene prices are at $818 per tonne (FOB Australia, 6% Li2O), down 75% from this time last year according to Benchmark’s Lithium Price Assessment, putting pressure on miners even at […]
> South Korean steel and chemicals giant POSCO has taken a 30% stake in Australia’s Mineral Resources’ (MinRes) 50% stakes in the Mt Marion and Wodgina mines for US$765 million. Structured as a joint venture, the deal would see MinRes and POSCO hold an overall 35% and 15% of the operations, as well as corresponding rights […]
> Chinese authorities have approved reserve reports for two key lithium mines in Jiangxi province, bringing months of uncertainty over the outlook for the lithium-rich region’s mining sector closer to a conclusion. CATL’s Jianxiawo mine – which was suspended on 10 August following the expiration of its mining permit – is reported to have received reserve […]
> Africa is the largest source of new lithium supply in 2025 with new supply from the region exceeding that of the rest of the world combined, Adam Megginson, a lithium analyst at Benchmark, told attendees at the Giga Africa event in Marrakech, Morocco this week. The bulk of this new supply comes from Zimbabwe and […]
> In the third quarter of 2025, 18 of the largest 25 copper miners reported quarter-on-quarter decreases in their output, including the top four miners. The total Q3 copper production reported by the top 25 miners hit 3.72Mt. “In the third quarter, many companies saw lower production compared to the previous quarter. However, most did not […]
> Escalating unrest in Mali, as jihadi groups target fuel convoys around the capital Bamako, has led several governments including France and the US to advise their citizens to leave the country. The attacks have created fuel shortages, and raised serious concerns around the military government’s ability to maintain its rule in the country. Mali is […]
> For the last decade the world’s largest mining companies found the lithium sector not attractive enough to invest, given the relative geological abundance of the metal as well as small size and low barriers to entry. We previously discussed that it was probably too late for major miners to enter the industry for value – […]
> Australian lithium miner Liontown Resources has raised AUD316 million (US$206 mn) in equity. This includes investments from the Australian government and major Chinese lithium chemical producer Canmax. The funds will support the ramp up of Liontown’s Kathleen Valley spodumene mine which began operations last year. This comes following a recovery in spodumene prices, which traded […]
> Paperwork problems have left two of Jiangxi’s largest lithium mines facing prolonged suspension risk. The picture appears to be less of a blanket clampdown and more a story of bureaucratic delays, policy philosophy, and fiscal adjustments. Yet the effect on global pricing is the same: lithium’s floor raises, allowing prices to remain higher for longer. […]