Tesla has agreed to buy nickel from Talon Metals’ mine in Minnesota, in its first deal to secure supplies of US metal for its batteries. The automaker said the project, which is due to produce nickel in 2026, had the “promise to accelerate the production of sustainable energy products in North America.” The deal comes […]
> US battery electric (BEV) & plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sales hit record highs in August and September 2025 as consumers rushed to purchase vehicles before the federal tax credit expired. The New Clean Vehicle Credit (30D) and Qualified Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit (45W) were both eliminated on 30 September 2025, following changes introduced in the One, […]
> 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 […]
> As the dust settles on LME Week in London, Benchmark reviews some of the key themes that shaped discussions throughout the week and gauges sentiment across metal markets heading towards year end. Across the board, discussions reflected metal markets navigating shifting trade policy, supply-side disruption, and uneven demand recovery. Copper: Arbitrage and disruption dominate discussion […]
> BHP has announced it will close its flagship Nickel West operation in Western Australia later this year, blaming an oversupply of nickel resulting from the ramp up of low-cost supply originating from Indonesia. “Like others in the Australian nickel sector, we have not been able to overcome the substantial economic challenges driven by a global […]
> BYD’s European electric vehicle (EV) sales in the first half of this year jumped more than five-fold compared to the same period last year according to Rho Motion’s EV & Battery Database. Over the same period, Tesla’s vehicle sales in Europe fell 28%. As a result, BYD is fast approaching Tesla in terms of unit […]
> 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 […]
> China’s Ministry of Commerce has announced new export control measures on “dual-use products” on national security grounds, encompassing lithium ion batteries as well as cathode active materials (CAM) and anode active materials (AAM). The restrictions were confirmed on the same day that Beijing escalated controls on rare earth elements and associated technologies, ahead of high-level […]
> BHP is seeking to increase its exposure to copper, a key energy transition metal, through a proposed $38.8 billion takeover of Anglo American. The deal, if realised, would see BHP emerge as the world’s biggest copper producer, accounting for around 10% of global mined supply. “The proposed merger is to gain access to Anglo American’s […]