A new deal between Eramet and Vibrantz shows how manganese producers outside of China are looking to make inroads into the battery value chain. Leading manganese producer Eramet will supply Vibrantz with manganese ore from its Gabon mine over a 10-year period. Vibrantz manufactures manganese sulphate which is used in the production of cathode materials […]
> 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 […]
> The battery industry is dominated by LFP and NCM cathode chemistries, but even with these well-established chemistries there is room for new technologies to be developed. Recently manganese rich cathode chemistries such as LMR (Lithium Manganese Rich), LMNO (Lithium Manganese Nickel Oxide) or HLM (High Lithium Manganese) cathode chemistries have gained market coverage. What does […]
> BASF and Eramet have cancelled plans to invest up to $2.6 billion to build a high pressure acid leach (HPAL) operation in Weda Bay, Indonesia. The project, known as Sonic Bay, had been set to become the first, and only nickel plant in Indonesia with 100% Western ownership. First announced in December 2020, the Sonic […]
> 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 […]
> South Africa has identified 21 minerals as critical, including manganese, rare earths, copper, and lithium. Maximising the potential value of the country’s resources of these minerals is the primary aim of South Africa’s Critical Minerals and Metals Strategy, the formal launch for which took place at the sidelines of the London Indaba event on 25 […]
> 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 […]
> This is your Weekly Raw Material Prices Briefing, part of your Benchmark Source subscription. Every week, this Briefing charts the changes in prices across the suite of battery minerals. Updates of this Briefing can now be found on Benchmark Source under the Publications tab. Lithium: Between 28 May – 4 June, lithium chemicals prices in […]
> 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 […]