With #lithium trending on mainstream Twitter, take a look at the video we put together at @benchmarkmin which explains the nuances of lithium supply, and why the market is not just about raw materials but also the infrastructure & capacity to produce specialty chemicals…
📺 Benchmark data featured in Sky News coverage of the world's reliance on rare earth elements and the challenge of bolstering supply chain security.
Ed Conway used Benchmark's price data to highlight the regional bifurcation between HREO prices in China compared to Europe.
Benchmark data illustrates the unprecedented volatility of #lithium prices, marking key chapters in the market's demand story.
This data features in Benchmark's new Special Issue.
To read further analysis on the evolving picture - request a copy➡️ https://t.co/zTyfht2paE
📈 CIF Europe terbium oxide prices assessed as 267% higher than DDP China
China's export controls on rare earth elements (REEs) have triggered a notable price bifurcation between the Chinese domestic market and international markets.
Read more: https://t.co/QbtUXrKvcI
Benchmark's #cobalt hydroxide CIF Asia price was assessed at a record low $5.65/lb on 26 Feb - highlighting the challenge facing the DRC gov, who announced on Monday that exports from the country had been halted for a min. of 4 months in an effort to the stymie the price decline
Honoured to have attended the International Lithium Association event on Monday night, where representatives from the Bolivian and UK governments, including the Vice President David Choquehuanca, met to discuss how Bolivia can ensure a sustainable future for its #lithium industry
🇨🇳China to impose restrictions on graphite exports from 1 Dec
Licences will be needed to #export graphite, what remains to be seen is how quickly these will be given and whether they will not be granted to any existing export customers
The move has wide ranging implications on the global graphite #supplychain, of which China currently hosts 70%
Expectations are of increased export buying activity from #China before the policy comes into effect, and a potential boost to ex-China #graphite producers once it is active
Read more: https://t.co/9f8MmbgNPf
#Graphite export permits in China yesterday: measures are already in place for some graphite material but these regulations target #battery material. Could mean short term supply hiccup whilst licenses take 1-2 months to be approved - some customers already looking to stockpile
Benchmark Price Update
🇨🇳Bearish lithium price sentiment in China eases after mid-Autumn festival period
Seaborne Asia spot prices stabilise
Carbonate demand continues to be stronger than hydroxide in Asia, due to consistent #LFP demand
🌎Elsewhere, chemicals prices are stable or tick down marginally in a lagged response to pricing developments in Asia
Feedstock prices adjust downwards to reflect chemicals prices in Asia, as #spodumene contracts increasingly include shorter price lags to the chemicals market
🔎For deeper insight into the factors driving #lithium prices and other critical raw materials powering the #energy transition, subscribe @benchmarkmin
A huge achievement from @Benchmarkmin Prices / PRA division - true industry first.
Shifting the lithium and battery raw materials space away from journalistic methods of price collection to a data-first, industry-knowledge approach has been one of our great achievements.
Billions of dollars of contracts are based on Benchmark’s price assessments, more here:
https://t.co/AGNqluPHNr
Appreciative of @Sen_JoeManchin@EnergyDems for using latest @benchmarkmin in today’s Critical Minerals hearing in the US Senate.
China production share of mining and processing of key EV battery raw materials:
🟠 Lithium: Mine 18% / refine 62%
🟠 Nickel: refine 13%
🟠 Cobalt: mine 5% / refine 76%
🟠 Graphite: mine 65% / refine 97%
It takes a decade to build these supply chains and even longer to embed them into industry.
China began this process in the early 2010s, the US is just beginning it’s journey.
Looking forward to speaking about the latest trends in the #lithium market at @benchmarkmin's event in London during LME Week
Numbers are limited, sign up here - https://t.co/4rFUpHUmiA
📉#Lithium prices fall – especially in the seaborne Asia market – as tepid summer purchasing activity enables consumers to negotiate lower spot prices given their healthy midstream inventories
Benchmark's CIF Asia price premium to EXW China market narrows
Some #cathode makers in Asia opt to purchase material directly from Chinese traders, to avoid price premium that currently exists when receiving offers directly from Chinese producers/converters
For full analysis of the li-ion #battery supply chain from mine to EV, it's @benchmarkmin
Spot #Lithium prices fall accross the board in this wks @benchmarkmin price assessment
Comfortable inventories & seasonal quietness led to little spot activity over the 7 days to 2 Aug
CIF Asia grades converge towards domestic 🇨🇳 pricing as buyers capitalise on market weakness
🔔Benchmark Graphite Price update🔔
Benchmark Flake Graphite Price Index falls 4.4% m-o-m as strong seasonal supply meets slow purchasing activity
☀️Summer period in Heilongjiang Province enables good seasonal supply from the crucial region
🔩Uncertain industrial sector outlook in China weighs on crude #steel production and related flake #graphite demand
🚗Although #EV demand has been building, inventories at #anode manufacturers remain well stocked, delaying purchasing activity
Subscribe at @benchmarkmin for full market context behind all 8 flake graphite and 3 spherical graphite grades we assess every month🔋
For the first time, @benchmarkmin assessed low energy synthetic graphite anodes at a discount to natural anodes across May/June 2023
More flexibility over feedstock spec has driven Chinese anode producers to use cheaper, higher sulphur pet coke for synth gr anode production
This price trend has been compounded by growth of in-house graphitisation capacity as anode producers look to vertically integrate - third party graphitisation tolling fees have fallen under decreased demand from fewer non-integrated producers, reducing costs for those players