China proposed a new set of restrictions on the export of technologies relating to lithium processing and some types of cathode active materials. The proposed restrictions could further hinder the ability of ex-China players to develop capacity to support the build out of domestic supply chains. “It appears to be an attempt to retain advanced […]
> 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 – […]
> Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, specialising in battery supply chain research and insights, reports that 12.7GWh of new operational capacity entered operation in October 2025. Operational Capacity The grid-scale BESS market saw 12.7GWh of new capacity enter operations globally in October 2025, a y-o-y increase of 29%. China led new operational capacity with just under 8.8GWh of […]
> 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 […]
> The cobalt market is coming to terms with a new reality following the DRC’s decision to extend its ban on cobalt exports in June until at least September. Whilst the ban has been in place since late February – after which the market saw an immediate step-change in pricing – the impact on China’s cobalt […]
> In the first half of 2025, the global BESS battery market showed clear signs of accelerated growth, with cell shipments in the first six months of 2025 surpassing the total volume of 2023 by over 17%. Explore how the top 10 ESS cell producers has evolved since 2023 in the interactive graphic below. Previously we examined the top BESS […]
> Chinese electric vehicle startup Nio plans to build its first battery gigafactory this year, according to Reuters, in the latest move by an automaker to enter the battery business. The 40 gigawatt-hour battery plant in Hefei will produce cylindrical cells and help reduce the company’s reliance on CATL for battery cells, it reported. If the […]
> 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 […]