The US is looking to play a larger role in the critical minerals sector of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The country is a key source of cobalt for battery production and has a growing presence in the lithium market. The US plans to use its significant geopolitical sway to push toward this […]
> 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 – […]
> 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 […]
> Cobalt prices jumped 10%–20% on the first trading day after China’s Golden Week holiday last week, amid deepening concerns over stock availability following the implementation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) new export quotas. Market participants reported to Benchmark last week that cobalt sulphate was trading at RMB 65,000–75,000/t ($9,170–10,580/t), up from RMB 60,000–62,000/t before the break. […]
> 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 […]
> US President Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have signed a landmark Critical Minerals Framework to bolster both nations’ access to rare earths and other critical minerals, in an effort to counter China’s dominance over strategically important supply chains. The framework indicates that the two governments will utilise a range of policy instruments to […]
> The broad LME/CME arbitrage continues to be a talking point, even months after it collapsed as result of cathodes being precluded from US copper tariffs. The reason the topic is still being broadly discussed is because, despite the arbitrage collapsing from its heights above $2500/t it is still relatively broad. This morning the arbitrage sat […]
> 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 […]