The Western Australian government has awarded A$1 billion ($644 million) in contracts for the building and expansion of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in the state. This investment is part of a larger A$2.8 billion ($1.87 billion) commitment from the state government for delivering renewable energy projects, highlighting Australia’s commitment to moving away from a […]
> 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 […]
> In the season of Q3 result releases, battery manufacturer CATL has reported record financial performance. Cumulative revenue from Q1–Q3 rose from RMB259bn ($36bn) in 2024 to RMB283bn ($39.3bn) in 2025, a year‑on‑year increase of 9%. Net profit also rose 41% between Q3 2024 and Q3 2025, from RMB13.14bn ($1.87bn) to RMB18.55bn ($2.58bn). Efficiency gains underpin profit growth Increasing efficiency has […]
> 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 […]
> The Chinese battery energy storage market is set to triple between 2024 and 2033, according to Rho Motion’s BESS Outlook. By 2033, it is forecast that 90% of China’s BESS installations will be grid-scale storage. Most grid scale systems will be standalone, continuing the falling market share of renewable-paired storage systems. This trend is set […]
> 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 […]
> Benchmark has tracked over $50 billion of energy transition funding, throughout 2025 in its Energy Transition Capital database, with the largest share allocated to the battery supply chain. The role of debt, grants, and equity Debt The EV, battery, and battery materials markets have matured rapidly over the past few years. As a result, debt is playing an increasingly […]
> NEO Performance Materials (NEO), a Canadian company with 30 years of rare earths industry experience, officially opened its rare earth permanent magnet (REPM) plant in Narva, Estonia, with a high-level ceremony on September 19, with Benchmark in attendance. The Narva plant marks NEO’s second rare earth facility in Estonia, complementing its established Silmet rare earth […]
> Australian lithium miner Liontown Resources has raised AUD316 million (US$206 mn) in equity. This includes investments from the Australian government and major Chinese lithium chemical producer Canmax. The funds will support the ramp up of Liontown’s Kathleen Valley spodumene mine which began operations last year. This comes following a recovery in spodumene prices, which traded […]