China’s largest electric vehicle producer BYD is building a battery supply chain in South America, with plans for the region’s first cathode plant in Chile as well as a lithium and iron phosphate processing facility in Brazil. The $290 million Antofagasta plant, BYD’s first overseas cathode facility, is expected to begin production by late 2025 […]
> 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 […]
> 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 – […]
> Aclara Resources’ Carina project in Goiás, Brazil, is positioning itself as a key future supplier of heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) through an environmentally responsible approach to ionic clay extraction. Benchmark’s Rare Earths team recently visited the Carina site and nearby pilot processing plant to evaluate technical progress and supply potential. “The site visit provided […]
> BYD has unveiled its latest grid-scale battery energy storage system (BESS), named Haohan, with a capacity of 14.5MWh and powered by a new 2,710Ah blade cell. The launch marks a step-change in scale for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) storage technology, though the size of both the cell and the system raise questions over practical deployment […]
> 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 […]
> 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 […]
> Benchmark hosted its inaugural Giga Africa event in Marrakesh, Morocco in September, featuring delegates from across the battery supply chain. Over the many conversations and discussions held about Africa’s place in the global battery supply chain, several key themes emerged: Explore these topics in the words of Giga Africa’s expert speakers and panellists.
> Benchmark has tracked over $50 billion of energy transition funding, throughout 2025 in its Energy Transition Capital database, with the largest share allocated to the battery supply chain. The role of debt, grants, and equity Debt The EV, battery, and battery materials markets have matured rapidly over the past few years. As a result, debt is playing an increasingly […]