The UK currently has no operating lithium extraction facilities. However, there are ambitious plans to develop this industry, with 97,000 tonnes LCE per year of nameplate capacity in the pipeline at various stages of funding and development. Direct lithium extraction (DLE) from geothermal brines accounts for 60% of this pipeline, according to Benchmark’s Lithium Forecast. […]
> The UK lithium scene, through mica mining and innovative direct lithium extraction (DLE) projects, has an announced lithium extraction capacity pipeline of 78,000 tonnes LCE (lithium carbonate equivalents), according to Benchmark’s Lithium Forecast. For lithium chemical production, the UK has 6,000 tonnes LCE of operating capacity and a further 135,000 tonnes LCE announced. Most of […]
> 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 […]
> Vulcan Energy Resources, an Australian DLE (direct lithium extraction) developer operating in Europe, has signed an eight-year offtake agreement with commodity trader Glencore. Under this agreement Glencore will take 40,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide (35,200 tonnes LCE) over an eight-year period starting from when Vulcan Energy enters commercial production, towards the end of the decade. […]
> 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 […]
> Only 6% of global graphite production this year will come from companies assessed as having “Good” or “Industry Leading” environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices, according to new research from Benchmark. Just two graphite companies are assessed as having “Industry Leading” ESG practices data from Benchmark’s new Graphite ESG Report shows. For natural graphite, no […]
> Starting next year, 45% of the value of an electric vehicle traded between the UK and European Union must come from either side, according to “rules of origin” stipulations agreed as part of the post-Brexit trade arrangement. For a battery to be considered local within this framework, 60% of its value must also be derived […]
> 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 […]
> 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 […]