by China produces an estimated 80% of the entire world’s lithium-ion batteries each year, and about 60% of all electric vehicle batteries. As a result, Chinese prices for battery-grade lithium (i.e. lithium carbonate with over 99.5% purity) have become one of the foremost proxies for the price performance of lithium as a commodity. Lithium is mainly used for energy storage such as batteries for electric vehicles and sustainable energy generation. The price of Lithium is expected to rise substantially in coming years as the world moves further towards using green energy and lower carbon industry. Trade with lithium price data that is unbiased, IOSCO-compliant and widely used across the energy commodity markets.
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Accurate data tracks price trends, supply, and strategy in this fast-evolving sector. It has a potent reaction to water and with air, it rapidly oxidizes after being cut. Once lithium is cut and exposed, it develops a black oxide layer.
Nevada Lithium Hub: Why Surge Battery Metals Holds the Key to U.S. EV Independence
- The Global X Lithium & Battery Tech ETF (LIT) offers exposure to the full lithium cycle by investing in companies involved in lithium mining, refining, and battery production.
- The price of Lithium is expected to rise substantially in coming years as the world moves further towards using green energy and lower carbon industry.
- Lithium is a silvery-white metal that resembles aluminium or platinum.
Informative feedback on market conditions across various lithium products in multiple regions. China’s graphite export controls bite just as LFP precursors scale; expect anode tightness to coexist with robust iron phosphate throughput. Nickel sulfate holds steady; Indonesia policy shifts keep ore risks live; SMM launches MHP cobalt payable index to lift transparency.
Our lithium prices are market-reflective, assessing both the buy- and sell-side of transactions. The LME, CME and SGX have all launched or announced futures contracts that are cash settled against the Fastmarkets lithium indices. These allow market participants to lock in future prices, hedging as much or as little exposure as they wish.
Lithium mining produced an estimated 82,000 metric tons of lithium in 2020 and the global reserves in 2021 is at an estimated 21 million tonnes. Johan August Arfvedson of Stockholm analysed the mineral when he realized it contained an unknown metal that was a new alkali and a version of sodium. The metal’s name is derived from the Greek word “lithos” meaning stone. In the 1790s, Jozé Bonifácio de Andralda e Silva from Brazil discovered petalite on Utö, a Swedish island. This was the first lithium mineral to be found but it wasn’t until 1817 that lithium was identified as a new metal in its own right.
The ability to protect margins in this way enables supply chains to be more robust, while strengthening the growth of the battery materials market. As you navigate this ever-changing landscape, you need prices and forecasts for key battery materials that you can rely on to reflect supply and demand conditions now and for the future. Used by the global battery supply chain to settle physical contracts, BMI provides trusted, regulated Lithium pricing backed by deep industry expertise and real-world market data. Lithium can rarely be obtained by investors in its physical form but the metal can be traded effectively in other ways. One can buy shares in companies that are involved with lithium mining and production. Lithium is traded as both Lithium Hydroxide and Lithium Carbonate.
EV & Battery
Manganese sulphate production is rising as NEV demand grows; iron‑phosphate output surged 59 % year‑on‑year thanks to integrated LFP producers. Titan Mining’s Kilbourne project aims to supply ultra‑pure graphite for anodes, and the global black‑mass recycling market is set to nearly double by 2029. China’s EV tax transition and ESS demand are lifting lithium prices into year-end, but supply surplus and GFEX volatility temper the trend. EV and battery markets drive electrification and unlock clean energy.
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Benchmark Mineral Intelligence (BMI) and Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) offer industry-leading Lithium futures contracts for Lithium carbonate, Lithium hydroxide, and spodumene. Robust lithium-specific methodology prioritising confirmed transactions for carbonate, hydroxide and spodumene prices. We provide trusted visibility into one of the world’s most volatile and opaque markets. Two of the world’s major lithium producers are Australia and Chile. Explore our interactive Market Explorer – gain actionable insights, track sustainability trends, and identify key opportunities across the Battery, Energy storage and EV market for your business. Find the real-time equivalent value of one commodity expressed in another, like how many barrels of oil your gold is worth.
Stay ahead of fast-evolving prices with Benchmark Mineral Intelligence’s free Price Spotlight. Create a free account to access real-time, independent lithium price indexes direct to your inbox each week, along with several other battery raw materials. You need transparency and clarity in these volatile markets and we recognize the importance of being clear about our lithium price assessment and index process. Our independently audited lithium pricing process aligns with core IOSCO principles. Our price reporters are required to follow robust pricing procedures, clearly defined methodologies and price specifications during their market reporting and pricing sessions.
Lithium is the only metal that reacts at room temperature with nitrogen. When burning, lithium has a crimson flame that turns white when the fire turns more vigorous. It has a melting point of 180.50°C (356.90°F) and a boiling point of 1342°C (2448°F).
- China’s EV tax transition and ESS demand are lifting lithium prices into year-end, but supply surplus and GFEX volatility temper the trend.
- Another factor that affects lithium prices is the rarity of the metal.
- Nickel sulfate holds steady; Indonesia policy shifts keep ore risks live; SMM launches MHP cobalt payable index to lift transparency.
- In particular, the price is driven by the demand for two forms of the metal – lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide.
- Chile and Argentina extract lithium from the brine of underwater lakes.
Battery-Grade Lithium Carbonate, Hydroxide, and Spodumene Prices, News & Market Data
EXW pricing reflects the factory cost of the lithium batteries in China, excluding additional charges like shipping, insurance, tariffs, and customs duties. Lithium is toxic and ingestion is often done under close medical supervision. Lithium carbonate is prescribed for manic depression (also known as bipolar disorder) and sometimes for lesser grades of depression. From early on, lithium was used in the medical world as a treatment for physical and psychiatric conditions. In the mid-1800’s it was unsuccessfully used to remedy gout and uric acid calculi. In the late 1800s, it was used to treat mania with such positive results that lithium is still used in psychiatry today.
They power high-performance EVs and storage, making them a core focus for innovation and supply. Chile and Argentina extract lithium from the brine of underwater lakes. The remaining saline solution is processed to extract the lithium, usually by electrolysis. Fastmarkets’ energy events give you a front-row seat to one of the most dynamic and critical markets in today’s economy as we make the strategic transition to a low-carbon economy. Europe and the US notch real lithium supply wins as prices steady; localized offtake and DLE projects start to reset Western cost curves.
Battery Energy Stationary Storage stores and deliver renewable power. Global analyst team tracking lithium trade flows in China, South America and other key regions. Our prices serve as a consistent, independent reference to support contract negotiations, risk management, complete turtletrader book and long-term planning. Our responsive widgets and charts scale to nearly any display size. Cobalt tightens on DRC quotas and delayed flows; nickel sulfate costs track matte/MHP dynamics as China’s imports swing. The specific grade required can vary significantly depending on the end use.
China is industrializing lithium battery recycling at scale while North America still exports black mass. Tight cobalt units, rising black mass procurement, and second-life ESS are redefining battery raw material supply. Besides being used extensively in the medical and psychiatric fields, lithium also offers vast applications in other areas. The metal plays an essential role in the creation of lithium-ion batteries, especially for laptops, mobile phones, electric vehicles, and pacemakers. Lithium is also used to create alloys with magnesium and aluminium which are then deployed in armour plating, aircraft and trains. IOSCO-assured lithium price data trusted by top EV and battery industry leaders worldwide.
Benchmark’s access and integration toolkit enables optimised use of our price data, in the format best suited to your business. The commodity remains extremely valuable due to its essential roles in the fields of medicine, technology, and to investors looking to add a sought-after commodity to their portfolio. The metal is found in trace amounts in many rocks and mineral water but is more abundant in minerals such as petalite, spodumene, lepidolite, and amblygonite. Lithium is a silvery-white metal that resembles aluminium or platinum. On the periodic table, it belongs to Group 1 (Ia) which holds the other alkali metals hydrogen (H), sodium (Na), rubidium (Rb) potassium (K), cesium (Cs), and francium (Fr). It is known as a soft substance with the lowest density of all metals (0.534 g/cm3).
One of the main forecasts that investors rely on to predict the market price is the current global demand and supply chain. In particular, the price is driven by the demand for two forms of the metal – lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide. Another factor that affects lithium prices is the rarity of the metal. The London Metal Exchange (LME) works closely with the lithium industry to provide more information, forecasts, charts, and lithium prices to investors. Market prices for lithium have fluctuated dramatically over the past few years as investors have speculated over the supply and demand for lithium in the growing market for electric vehicle batteries. While China only accounts for roughly a quarter of the world’s raw lithium supply, it holds a virtual monopoly on processing capacity.
Indonesia’s nickel intermediate capacity is set to surge in 2026 just as ternary cathode growth slows. Cost floors, sulfur constraints, and steady manganese ore pricing hint at bifurcated risk across the battery metals complex. China’s recycling procurement rose in October as lithium rallied; black mass prices firmed, but recycler margins remain tight. The Global X Lithium & Battery Tech ETF (LIT) offers exposure to the full lithium cycle by investing in companies involved in lithium mining, refining, and battery production. EXW (Ex-Works) is an international trade term where the seller delivers goods at their facility or another specified location (such as a factory or warehouse). The buyer assumes full responsibility for transportation, including export duties, insurance, and final delivery.
