Vianode has signed a multi-billion dollar agreement to supply GM with Inflation Reduction Act-compliant synthetic graphite anode material from its planned production facility in North America. Vianode’s plant will likely be built in Ontario, Canada, though an official location has yet to be announced. The company says production will begin in 2027. The supply agreement […]
> Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, specialising in battery supply chain research and insights, reports that 12.7GWh of new operational capacity entered operation in October 2025. Operational Capacity The grid-scale BESS market saw 12.7GWh of new capacity enter operations globally in October 2025, a y-o-y increase of 29%. China led new operational capacity with just under 8.8GWh of […]
> China has postponed the implementation of its expanded rare earth export controls announced in early October following high-level US-China trade negotiations in South Korea this week. It marks a temporary easing in what had become an escalating front in the tit-for-tat US–China trade confrontation. The announcement follows extensive economic and trade consultations in Kuala Lumpur, […]
> Benchmark attended the grand opening of Vianode’s second synthetic graphite facility in Herøya, Norway in early October. Forecast to contribute 9.4% of Europe’s synthetic graphite supply by 2030, according to Benchmark data, Oslo-registered Vianode is a rarity in a regional industry where 86% of 2030 output will be non-European owned and over half the pipeline […]
> Following the conclusion of a formal public consultation, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence is modifying the specification of its high energy anode material grades to include a minimum charging rate, relevant for EV applications. This modification to the methodology for two of the existing grades in the Benchmark Anode Price Assessment begins from 15 October 2025. Two […]
> Since January 2025, 108GWh of LFP production capacity has been announced in North America through to 2030, bringing the total to 281GWh. These announcements have been driven by the increasing importance of the BESS industry in the US, as tax credits for EVs have been phased out. How is future capacity changing? The new capacity […]
> General Motors has resolved production issues at its Ultium battery joint venture, Kurt Kelty, vice president of batteries at the Detroit automaker, told Benchmark Source. The company’s Ultium partnership with Korea’s LG Energy Solution suffered issues in assembling battery modules but they have now been resolved, he said. “The production issues are behind us,” he […]
> Black mass markets in Q3 2025 were largely shaped by China’s lifting of import restrictions on 1 August, which re‑routed trade flows. Outside of China, this has created a two-tier market divided by compliance with Chinese custom’s quality controls. Compliant material commanded high premiums (79%–84%), while producers of non‑compliant batches struggled to clear material, trading […]
> US President Donald Trump this week secured major investments in US-based projects from Japan and South Korea covering critical minerals, stationary storage, and other high-priority sectors, as part of trade agreements to lower US tariff barriers. The trade deals come ahead of a high-level meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping – the […]