In 2024, the extended slump in lithium prices on the back of lower than expected electric vehicle demand growth led to a raft of cutbacks at operations tasked with meeting lithium’s future expansion requirements. This price environment, however, also primed the market for a series of mergers and acquisitions signalling belief in the long-term trajectory […]
> 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 […]
> 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 […]
> 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 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 […]
> India’s pipeline of cathode active material (CAM) production capacity is set to grow more than 50-fold over the next decade. Altmin, Himadri Speciality Chemical, and Epsilon Advanced Materials have the largest pipeline capacities in the country. Almost all CAM capacity under development in India is for LFP, both due to the popularity of the cathode […]
> 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. […]
> CATL has announced its 40ktpa Jiangxi-based Jianxiawo mica mine, idled since late August, could receive the permits required to restart sooner than the market had anticipated. The shift in signalling is notable. Just last week, market consensus had hardened around the likelihood of a prolonged suspension amidst concerns over provincial-level regulatory clampdowns. This latest announcement […]
> 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 […]