Nickel refining in Indonesia can severely pressure natural ecosystems, according to Benchmark’s global nickel life cycle assessment, underlining the need to look beyond global warming impacts when evaluating the battery metal’s sustainability. An Indonesia-to-China production route that uses the high pressure acid leaching (HPAL) method ranked second worst among seven production routes analysed by Benchmark […]
> 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 […]
> Benchmark’s lithium carbon intensity curve has expanded in scope, now covering the top 50 largest lithium chemical-producing assets in 2025, as well as those forecasted to be in production by 2030. Greenhouse gas emissions generated from raw material extraction to the lithium chemical stage, known as cradle-to-gate emissions, are assessed by Benchmark using the IPCC’s […]
> Nickel prices spent much of Q3 2025 trading at five‑year lows even as intermediates surged, highlighting the deepening split between China‑led chemical demand and a structurally oversupplied global metal market. Nickel sulphate EXW China climbed 7% across the quarter to RMB 27,800–28,020/t ($3,920–3951/t), its highest since March. Precursor and cathode producers rebuilt inventories in August and […]
> Just 28% of operating lithium miners and 26% of operating lithium converters publicly report their carbon footprint and even fewer (17% and 15%, respectively) present a life cycle assessment, according to Benchmark’s Lithium ESG Report. Given the myriad of feedstocks and processing routes available, calculating the carbon footprint of lithium chemicals can be complicated and […]
> Chinese nickel sulphate prices fell to a near three-year low in August amid a continued weak downstream demand recovery for nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) cathodes used in electric vehicle batteries. Average prices for nickel sulphate in China declined 5.7% in August to RMB 31,250 ($4,281) per tonne, reaching their lowest level since December 2020, according […]
> Benchmark Week 2025 kicked off in LA on Tuesday, with policy makers, industry leaders, and experts from Benchmark discussing the key topics impacting energy transition supply chains in 2025. From across the first day’s sessions three key takeaways emerged: 1. Supply chains are a national security priority now more than ever “These are not just […]
> 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 – […]
> The US Department of Homeland Security has designated copper and lithium imports from China for “high‑priority” enforcement under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), due to alleged human‑rights abuses in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The enforcement plan sets sector‑specific requirements for traceability, documentation, and verification to prevent goods linked to forced labour in […]