[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":783},["ShallowReactive",2],{"ticker-data":3,"story-article/a-new-generation":550},[4,52,82,112,148,186,229,261,297,336,378,419,460,490,520],{"publishedDate":5,"updateFrequency":6,"updateFrequencyText":7,"label":8,"today":9,"last":10,"percentageChange":11,"yearToDate":12,"yearOnYear":13,"oneYearIndexTrend":14,"url":48,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-10-14","2wk","Updated every 2 weeks","Lithium",317.07,322.34,-1.64,35.66,90.62,[15,16,18,21,24,27,30,33,36,39,42,45],{"date":5,"value":9},{"date":17,"value":10},"2026-09-30",{"date":19,"value":20},"2026-09-16",354.99,{"date":22,"value":23},"2026-09-02",385.07,{"date":25,"value":26},"2026-08-19",372.67,{"date":28,"value":29},"2026-08-05",367.54,{"date":31,"value":32},"2026-07-22",388.26,{"date":34,"value":35},"2026-07-08",399.4,{"date":37,"value":38},"2026-06-24",410.62,{"date":40,"value":41},"2026-06-10",427.77,{"date":43,"value":44},"2026-05-27",449.85,{"date":46,"value":47},"2026-05-13",451.12,"/lithium/prices",null,false,true,{"publishedDate":5,"updateFrequency":6,"updateFrequencyText":7,"label":53,"today":54,"last":55,"percentageChange":56,"yearToDate":57,"yearOnYear":58,"oneYearIndexTrend":59,"url":48,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"Lithium Carbonate",256.83,278.71,-7.85,1.12,46.89,[60,61,62,64,66,68,70,72,74,76,78,80],{"date":5,"value":54},{"date":17,"value":55},{"date":19,"value":63},300.39,{"date":22,"value":65},306.07,{"date":25,"value":67},297.22,{"date":28,"value":69},296.63,{"date":31,"value":71},309.38,{"date":34,"value":73},317.2,{"date":37,"value":75},330.54,{"date":40,"value":77},346.5,{"date":43,"value":79},358.35,{"date":46,"value":81},350.28,{"publishedDate":5,"updateFrequency":6,"updateFrequencyText":7,"label":83,"today":84,"last":85,"percentageChange":86,"yearToDate":87,"yearOnYear":88,"oneYearIndexTrend":89,"url":48,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"Lithium Hydroxide",292.05,311.1,-6.12,43.7,92,[90,91,92,94,96,98,100,102,104,106,108,110],{"date":5,"value":84},{"date":17,"value":85},{"date":19,"value":93},339.85,{"date":22,"value":95},352.45,{"date":25,"value":97},341.12,{"date":28,"value":99},337.87,{"date":31,"value":101},354.36,{"date":34,"value":103},364.06,{"date":37,"value":105},376.67,{"date":40,"value":107},393.29,{"date":43,"value":109},411.01,{"date":46,"value":111},408.51,{"publishedDate":5,"updateFrequency":113,"updateFrequencyText":114,"label":115,"today":116,"last":117,"percentageChange":118,"yearToDate":119,"yearOnYear":120,"oneYearIndexTrend":121,"url":147,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"1wk","Updated every week","Cobalt",171.41,173.83,-1.39,-27.13,-1.06,[122,123,125,126,129,131,133,136,138,141,142,145],{"date":5,"value":116},{"date":124,"value":117},"2026-10-07",{"date":17,"value":117},{"date":127,"value":128},"2026-09-23",175.44,{"date":19,"value":130},178.66,{"date":22,"value":132},189.92,{"date":134,"value":135},"2026-08-26",192.6,{"date":25,"value":137},199.83,{"date":139,"value":140},"2026-08-12",217.25,{"date":28,"value":140},{"date":143,"value":144},"2026-07-29",221.25,{"date":31,"value":146},224.44,"/cobalt/prices",{"publishedDate":149,"updateFrequency":6,"updateFrequencyText":7,"label":150,"today":151,"last":152,"percentageChange":153,"yearToDate":154,"yearOnYear":155,"oneYearIndexTrend":156,"url":185,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-10-21","Nickel",107.13,114.04,-6.06,-11.27,-0.65,[157,158,159,161,164,166,168,170,173,176,179,182],{"date":149,"value":151},{"date":124,"value":152},{"date":127,"value":160},116.1,{"date":162,"value":163},"2026-09-09",119.13,{"date":134,"value":165},119.61,{"date":139,"value":167},121.04,{"date":143,"value":169},121.19,{"date":171,"value":172},"2026-07-15",122.66,{"date":174,"value":175},"2026-07-01",125.61,{"date":177,"value":178},"2026-06-17",131.5,{"date":180,"value":181},"2026-06-03",134.65,{"date":183,"value":184},"2026-05-20",135.83,"/nickel/prices",{"publishedDate":17,"updateFrequency":187,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":189,"today":190,"last":191,"percentageChange":192,"yearToDate":193,"yearOnYear":194,"oneYearIndexTrend":195,"url":228,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"1mo","Updated every month","Natural Graphite",78.45,80.18,-2.16,-3.84,-4.03,[196,197,199,202,205,208,211,214,217,220,223,226],{"date":17,"value":190},{"date":198,"value":191},"2026-08-28",{"date":200,"value":201},"2026-07-31",80.66,{"date":203,"value":204},"2026-06-30",82.87,{"date":206,"value":207},"2026-05-29",82.99,{"date":209,"value":210},"2026-04-30",82.93,{"date":212,"value":213},"2026-03-31",82.39,{"date":215,"value":216},"2026-02-27",81.92,{"date":218,"value":219},"2026-01-30",81.69,{"date":221,"value":222},"2025-12-31",81.58,{"date":224,"value":225},"2025-11-28",81.35,{"date":227,"value":225},"2025-10-31","/natural-graphite/prices",{"publishedDate":17,"updateFrequency":187,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":230,"today":231,"last":232,"percentageChange":233,"yearToDate":234,"yearOnYear":235,"oneYearIndexTrend":236,"url":260,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"Anode Coke",86.15,81.86,5.24,15.73,19.78,[237,238,239,241,242,244,246,248,250,252,254,257],{"date":17,"value":231},{"date":200,"value":232},{"date":203,"value":240},80.54,{"date":206,"value":240},{"date":209,"value":243},84.01,{"date":212,"value":245},79.79,{"date":215,"value":247},75.72,{"date":218,"value":249},74.61,{"date":221,"value":251},74.44,{"date":227,"value":253},72.75,{"date":255,"value":256},"2025-09-30",71.92,{"date":258,"value":259},"2025-08-29",71.46,"/synthetic-graphite/prices",{"publishedDate":262,"updateFrequency":187,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":263,"today":264,"last":265,"percentageChange":266,"yearToDate":267,"yearOnYear":268,"oneYearIndexTrend":269,"url":296,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-10-15","Anode",80.45,80.24,0.27,1.81,3.2,[270,271,273,275,276,278,281,284,287,289,291,293],{"date":262,"value":264},{"date":272,"value":265},"2026-09-15",{"date":274,"value":265},"2026-08-17",{"date":171,"value":265},{"date":277,"value":265},"2026-06-15",{"date":279,"value":280},"2026-05-15",79.16,{"date":282,"value":283},"2026-04-15",81.98,{"date":285,"value":286},"2026-03-16",79.03,{"date":288,"value":286},"2026-02-16",{"date":290,"value":286},"2026-01-15",{"date":292,"value":286},"2025-12-15",{"date":294,"value":295},"2025-11-17",77.79,"/anode/prices",{"publishedDate":298,"updateFrequency":187,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":299,"today":300,"last":301,"percentageChange":302,"yearToDate":303,"yearOnYear":304,"oneYearIndexTrend":305,"url":335,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-08-01","Cathode",73.32,77.21,-5.04,14.41,55.07,[306,307,308,311,314,317,320,323,325,327,329,332],{"date":298,"value":300},{"date":174,"value":301},{"date":309,"value":310},"2026-06-01",80.32,{"date":312,"value":313},"2026-05-01",81.71,{"date":315,"value":316},"2026-04-01",77.27,{"date":318,"value":319},"2026-03-01",81.99,{"date":321,"value":322},"2026-02-01",80.5,{"date":290,"value":324},72.79,{"date":292,"value":326},64.08,{"date":294,"value":328},62.01,{"date":330,"value":331},"2025-10-15",53.51,{"date":333,"value":334},"2025-09-15",49.5,"/cathode/prices",{"publishedDate":337,"updateFrequency":187,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":338,"today":339,"last":340,"percentageChange":341,"yearToDate":342,"yearOnYear":343,"oneYearIndexTrend":344,"url":377,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2025-03-31","Lithium ion Batteries",74.53,71.3,4.53,-1.6,-20.88,[345,346,348,351,354,357,360,363,366,368,371,374],{"date":337,"value":339},{"date":347,"value":340},"2025-02-28",{"date":349,"value":350},"2025-01-31",71.45,{"date":352,"value":353},"2024-12-31",75.74,{"date":355,"value":356},"2024-11-29",76.98,{"date":358,"value":359},"2024-10-31",77.34,{"date":361,"value":362},"2024-09-30",77.43,{"date":364,"value":365},"2024-08-30",80.56,{"date":367,"value":207},"2024-07-31",{"date":369,"value":370},"2024-06-28",87.2,{"date":372,"value":373},"2024-05-31",90.7,{"date":375,"value":376},"2024-04-30",93.2,"/battery-gigafactory/prices",{"publishedDate":379,"updateFrequency":6,"updateFrequencyText":7,"label":380,"today":381,"last":382,"percentageChange":383,"yearToDate":384,"yearOnYear":385,"oneYearIndexTrend":386,"url":418,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-10-08","Black Mass",37.11,38.95,-4.72,-14,18.31,[387,388,390,393,396,399,402,405,408,411,414,416],{"date":379,"value":381},{"date":389,"value":382},"2026-09-24",{"date":391,"value":392},"2026-09-10",42.03,{"date":394,"value":395},"2026-08-27",43.88,{"date":397,"value":398},"2026-08-13",42.33,{"date":400,"value":401},"2026-07-30",43.42,{"date":403,"value":404},"2026-07-16",46.74,{"date":406,"value":407},"2026-07-02",46.01,{"date":409,"value":410},"2026-06-18",49.57,{"date":412,"value":413},"2026-02-12",47.34,{"date":415,"value":410},"2026-01-29",{"date":290,"value":417},43.15,"/recycling/black-mass-prices",{"publishedDate":262,"updateFrequency":187,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":420,"today":421,"last":422,"percentageChange":423,"yearToDate":424,"yearOnYear":425,"oneYearIndexTrend":426,"url":459,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"Rare Earths",172.08,171.72,0.21,20.59,30.21,[427,428,430,433,436,439,442,445,448,451,454,457],{"date":262,"value":421},{"date":429,"value":422},"2026-10-01",{"date":431,"value":432},"2026-09-03",170.83,{"date":434,"value":435},"2026-08-20",169.63,{"date":437,"value":438},"2026-08-06",172.28,{"date":440,"value":441},"2026-07-23",173.94,{"date":443,"value":444},"2026-07-09",171.69,{"date":446,"value":447},"2026-06-25",168.55,{"date":449,"value":450},"2026-06-11",165,{"date":452,"value":453},"2026-05-28",163.89,{"date":455,"value":456},"2026-05-14",172.63,{"date":209,"value":458},175.6,"/rare-earths/prices",{"publishedDate":198,"updateFrequency":187,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":461,"today":462,"last":463,"percentageChange":464,"yearToDate":465,"yearOnYear":466,"oneYearIndexTrend":467,"url":377,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"NCM Mid-Nickel",152.7,162.48,-6.02,17.38,53.11,[468,469,470,472,474,476,478,480,482,484,486,488],{"date":198,"value":462},{"date":200,"value":463},{"date":203,"value":471},171.08,{"date":206,"value":473},173.65,{"date":209,"value":475},164.53,{"date":212,"value":477},157.28,{"date":215,"value":479},151.44,{"date":218,"value":481},144.5,{"date":221,"value":483},130.09,{"date":224,"value":485},124.6,{"date":227,"value":487},122.35,{"date":255,"value":489},103.5,{"publishedDate":198,"updateFrequency":187,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":491,"today":492,"last":493,"percentageChange":494,"yearToDate":495,"yearOnYear":496,"oneYearIndexTrend":497,"url":377,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"NCM High-Nickel",144.45,149.67,-3.49,26.69,49.06,[498,499,500,502,504,506,508,510,512,514,516,518],{"date":198,"value":492},{"date":200,"value":493},{"date":203,"value":501},157.37,{"date":206,"value":503},160,{"date":209,"value":505},149.53,{"date":212,"value":507},141.97,{"date":215,"value":509},136.99,{"date":218,"value":511},129.81,{"date":221,"value":513},114.02,{"date":224,"value":515},109.17,{"date":227,"value":517},109.02,{"date":255,"value":519},99.44,{"publishedDate":198,"updateFrequency":187,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":521,"today":522,"last":523,"percentageChange":524,"yearToDate":525,"yearOnYear":526,"oneYearIndexTrend":527,"url":377,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"LFP",229.17,218.34,4.96,49.35,83.44,[528,529,530,532,534,536,538,540,542,544,546,548],{"date":198,"value":522},{"date":200,"value":523},{"date":203,"value":531},239.1,{"date":206,"value":533},258.32,{"date":209,"value":535},239.37,{"date":212,"value":537},213.01,{"date":215,"value":539},204.49,{"date":218,"value":541},218.06,{"date":221,"value":543},153.45,{"date":224,"value":545},134.02,{"date":227,"value":547},118.22,{"date":255,"value":549},111.93,{"id":551,"uuid":552,"name":553,"slug":554,"full_slug":555,"content":556,"relatedArticles":781,"relatedVideos":782},112475200062319,"b2e3d8b0-1c0e-44b0-941f-3c765139716f","A New Generation","a-new-generation","article/a-new-generation",{"_uid":557,"date":558,"tags":559,"editor":560,"content":570,"excerpt":759,"featured":50,"reporter":760,"_editable":764,"component":765,"seo_title":553,"categories":766,"visibility":773,"author_company":49,"featured_image":774,"seo_description":759,"author_full_name":49,"author_job_title":49,"formattedDate":779,"formattedArticleDate":780},"59285e85-97ef-4d62-809f-771f17cc81fa","2016-07-20 00:00",[],[561],{"slug":562,"name":563,"content":564},"matthew-bird","Matthew Bird",{"job_title":565,"image":566,"bio":568,"linkedin":569},"Senior Editor - Supply Chains & Data Visualisation",{"filename":567},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/512x512/14738033ec/matthew-bird.jpeg","Matthew writes, edits and produces content for Benchmark Intelligence and Benchmark Source across the whole mine to grid supply chain. He also acts as a liaison to the press. He has a PhD in electrochemistry from the University of Nottingham.","https://www.linkedin.com/in/birdmatthew/",{"type":571,"content":572},"doc",[573,586,597,612,621,634,645,658,665,674,685,696,707,720,733,742],{"type":574,"attrs":575,"content":576},"paragraph",{"textAlign":49},[577,580,582,584],{"text":578,"type":579},"It is not easy to find a tipping point: that one moment that can signify a","text",{"text":581,"type":579},"\ndefinitive and fundamental change. In the past, true change in minerals",{"text":583,"type":579},"\nand metals has happened over a longer period of time through a series",{"text":585,"type":579},"\nof trends.",{"type":574,"attrs":587,"content":588},{"textAlign":49},[589,591,593,595],{"text":590,"type":579},"But where our industry stands today in 2015, these trends are",{"text":592,"type":579},"\nbecoming shorter and change is more rapid. During the past 18 months,",{"text":594,"type":579},"\nthere have been more tipping points in our industry than in the entire",{"text":596,"type":579},"\nperiod since the global financial crisis of 2008.",{"type":574,"attrs":598,"content":599},{"textAlign":49},[600,602,604,606,608,610],{"text":601,"type":579},"For critical minerals and metals those key moments of change",{"text":603,"type":579},"\ninclude: the collapse in oil prices, Tesla Motors’ Gigafactory (p46), the",{"text":605,"type":579},"\nsubsequent surge of battery megafactories (p38), Apple’s boom in",{"text":607,"type":579},"\niPhone sales which saw it become the most profitable company in",{"text":609,"type":579},"\nhistory (p26), and China losing its rare earths WTO case (p14), to name",{"text":611,"type":579},"\nonly a few.",{"type":574,"attrs":613,"content":614},{"textAlign":49},[615,617,619],{"text":616,"type":579},"Disruptive events are becoming more commonplace in what are",{"text":618,"type":579},"\nfragile and inflexible industries. Disruptive companies, outsiders, are",{"text":620,"type":579},"\nentering these sectors with different rules.",{"type":574,"attrs":622,"content":623},{"textAlign":49},[624,626,628,630,632],{"text":625,"type":579},"Benchmark Mineral Intelligence occupies a privileged position in",{"text":627,"type":579},"\nthis time of change. We are to be able to independently analyse those",{"text":629,"type":579},"\nsupply chains that are becoming increasingly critical. To start with, we",{"text":631,"type":579},"\nhave chosen the battery supply chain and the raw materials of graphite,",{"text":633,"type":579},"\nlithium, cobalt and vanadium.",{"type":574,"attrs":635,"content":636},{"textAlign":49},[637,639,641,643],{"text":638,"type":579},"Benchmark has been established with the mission of providing",{"text":640,"type":579},"\nglobal supply chain visibility, all the way upstream to the mine. We",{"text":642,"type":579},"\nare independent onlookers to the three core market fundamentals of",{"text":644,"type":579},"\nsupply, demand and prices.",{"type":574,"attrs":646,"content":647},{"textAlign":49},[648,650,652,654,656],{"text":649,"type":579},"Our commitment to this cause is demonstrated with our Supply Chain",{"text":651,"type":579},"\n20/20 seminars hosted as part of the Benchmark | World Tour 2015 (p3).",{"text":653,"type":579},"\nThis is an ambitious tour of eight cities across four continents, and has",{"text":655,"type":579},"\nnever before been done in our industry. And what’s more, it’s free, for",{"text":657,"type":579},"\nevery delegate from London to Hong Kong.",{"type":574,"attrs":659,"content":660},{"textAlign":49},[661,663],{"text":662,"type":579},"All of our product offerings will be built upon the bedrock of firsthand",{"text":664,"type":579},"\ndata collection.",{"type":574,"attrs":666,"content":667},{"textAlign":49},[668,670,672],{"text":669,"type":579},"Benchmark’s analysts collect prices and production data from the",{"text":671,"type":579},"\nsource by travelling around the world to see the mines and processing",{"text":673,"type":579},"\nplants that create the products we evaluate.",{"type":574,"attrs":675,"content":676},{"textAlign":49},[677,679,681,683],{"text":678,"type":579},"Our own in-house, transparent methodology will ensure the accuracy,",{"text":680,"type":579},"\nreliability and trustworthiness of this data. The expertise of our analysts",{"text":682,"type":579},"\nwill ensure relevance, telling you what the data means, why something",{"text":684,"type":579},"\nis happening and where we are heading.",{"type":574,"attrs":686,"content":687},{"textAlign":49},[688,690,692,694],{"text":689,"type":579},"With our world becoming increasingly mobile, the need for better,",{"text":691,"type":579},"\nlonger-lasting, lower cost batteries is paramount. We could not have",{"text":693,"type":579},"\nthese batteries without the graphite, lithium and cobalt that make up",{"text":695,"type":579},"\nthe anode and cathode components.",{"type":574,"attrs":697,"content":698},{"textAlign":49},[699,701,703,705],{"text":700,"type":579},"A host of critical minerals and metals make smartphones and tablet",{"text":702,"type":579},"\nPCs possible, including rare earths, antimony, gallium and tantalum.",{"text":704,"type":579},"\nMeanwhile, the majority of electric vehicles are still reliant on a",{"text":706,"type":579},"\npermanent rare earth magnet, let alone a huge battery.",{"type":574,"attrs":708,"content":709},{"textAlign":49},[710,712,714,716,718],{"text":711,"type":579},"On the energy side, the US shale boom rests upon a specific grade of",{"text":713,"type":579},"\nsand or engineered mineral products known as proppants. The growing",{"text":715,"type":579},"\nneed for cleaner energy sources is driving up demand for uranium",{"text":717,"type":579},"\nfeedstock for nuclear power, but it could take up to a decade to finance",{"text":719,"type":579},"\nand build a new mine.",{"type":574,"attrs":721,"content":722},{"textAlign":49},[723,725,727,729,731],{"text":724,"type":579},"The recent resurgence of solar power is increasing pressure on its",{"text":726,"type":579},"\nmost critical of raw materials, silicon, which is derived from a handful of",{"text":728,"type":579},"\nhigh-purity quartz mines around the world. Meanwhile, wind turbines",{"text":730,"type":579},"\ncannot operate without a neodymium (rare earths again), highperformance",{"text":732,"type":579},"\nmagnet.",{"type":574,"attrs":734,"content":735},{"textAlign":49},[736,738,740],{"text":737,"type":579},"These renewable energy sources will become increasingly reliant,",{"text":739,"type":579},"\nagain, on batteries: this time large stationary units to store the",{"text":741,"type":579},"\nintermittent power generated.",{"type":574,"attrs":743,"content":744},{"textAlign":49},[745,747,749,751,753,755,757],{"text":746,"type":579},"If we rewind the clock five years, knowledge of these critical minerals",{"text":748,"type":579},"\nwas not widespread. Few anticipated the importance and scale of the",{"text":750,"type":579},"\nrole they would play in future technologies. But these raw materials",{"text":752,"type":579},"\nfeed global industries that are on the tipping point of becoming",{"text":754,"type":579},"\nindustrial-sized sectors influencing every part of our daily lives.",{"text":756,"type":579},"\nIt is no longer that change is coming, but change is here. We are in a",{"text":758,"type":579},"\nnew era for minerals and metals, driven by a new generation.","It is not easy to find a tipping point: that one moment that can signify a definitive and fundamental change. In the past, true change in minerals and metals has happened over a longer period of time through a series of trends.",[761],{"slug":562,"name":563,"content":762},{"job_title":565,"image":763,"bio":568,"linkedin":569},{"filename":567},"\u003C!--#storyblok#{\"name\": \"article\", \"space\": \"\", \"uid\": \"59285e85-97ef-4d62-809f-771f17cc81fa\", \"id\": \"\"}-->","article",[767,770],{"slug":768,"name":769},"batteries","Batteries",{"slug":771,"name":772},"critical-minerals","Critical Minerals","private",{"id":49,"alt":775,"name":775,"focus":775,"title":775,"source":775,"filename":776,"copyright":775,"fieldtype":777,"meta_data":778,"is_external_url":51},"","https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/2c4f60ec30/bm-screen-shot-2016-07-20-at-112437.png","asset",{"alt":775,"title":775,"source":775,"copyright":775},"Jul 20, 2016","20th July 2016",[],[],1792688600529]