Graphite company Walkabout Resources has gone into administration following logistical and high cost issues around exporting its natural graphite from Tanzania. The company operated the Lindi mine in Tanzania and announced it had shipped the first material from the asset in June of this year. “This highlights the challenges the ex-China graphite industry faces as […]
> Africa is the leading source of new flake graphite supply outside China. To assess developments on the ground, Benchmark’s China graphite analyst, Frank Li, recently travelled to Permanent Minerals, a Chinese-owned graphite mine and processing plant in Manyara province, Tanzania. The company’s natural graphite output is large flake and contains a carbon content of 95%–98% […]
> 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 […]
> 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 […]
> Benchmark hosted its inaugural Giga Africa event in Marrakesh, Morocco in September, featuring delegates from across the battery supply chain. Over the many conversations and discussions held about Africa’s place in the global battery supply chain, several key themes emerged: Explore these topics in the words of Giga Africa’s expert speakers and panellists.
> The US is exploring opportunities to extend the Lobito Corridor Railway to Tanzania, creating a ‘Trans-Africa Corridor’ to connect the Central African Copperbelt to both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Speaking in Tanzania in late August, Helaina Matza, Acting Special Coordinator for the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI), said the US’ ‘mission’ was […]
> 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 […]
> The Trump administration is stepping up direct investments in critical mineral projects to bolster US supply security, as part of a broader push by Washington to acquire equity in sectors considered vital to national security. Last week, the US Department of Energy (DoE) announced it would restructure a $2.3bn loan agreement with Lithium Americas, providing […]
> Africa is the largest source of new lithium supply in 2025 with new supply from the region exceeding that of the rest of the world combined, Adam Megginson, a lithium analyst at Benchmark, told attendees at the Giga Africa event in Marrakech, Morocco this week. The bulk of this new supply comes from Zimbabwe and […]