Benchmark begins public consultation on updating quality specifications and representative producers for its cobalt hydroxide CIF Asia price assessment

Benchmark Mineral Intelligence announced today that it has started a formal public consultation on changes to its Cobalt Price Assessment Methodology.

Quality specifications

Benchmark plans to refine the quality specifications of its CIF Asia cobalt hydroxide price assessment. The current methodology specifies a typical cobalt content of 20–40% and identifies common impurities of Cu below 10%, Fe below 2%, Mn below 5% and Mg below 10%.

Following feedback and discussion with a number of market participants, Benchmark proposes to tighten the existing thresholds and introduce additional parameters to better reflect material considered mainstream in the physical market, as certain quality parameters can materially affect the acceptability and value of cobalt hydroxide.

Benchmark proposes to define the assessment on the basis of cobalt content of 30% minimum, with the following maximum impurity levels: Mn 6.5%, Mg 6.5%, Cu 2.5% and Fe 1%. Benchmark also proposes to introduce maximum limits for S at 5%, Zn at 1%, Ca at 1.5%, Ni at 1.5%, Al at 0.2% and Cd at 100 ppm.

In addition, Benchmark proposes to include a requirement regarding natural radioactivity.

Representative producers

Benchmark also proposes to identify representative brands and producers whose material would be considered representative of the assessment. These would include KFM, TFM, KCC, Mumi, ERG Metakol, Deziwa, Kimin and Somika.

Greater clarity around quality parameters and representative producers would help ensure that the material considered in the assessment reflects the mainstream physical cobalt hydroxide market. Benchmark continues to monitor and evolve its price assessments to ensure they remain reflective of prevailing market and trading conditions.

The proposed changes would impact the following grade currently collected by Benchmark:

Cobalt Hydroxide; Min 20%; CIF Asia; USD/Tonne

Which will become:

Cobalt Hydroxide; Min 30%; CIF Asia; USD/Tonne

Benchmark Price Assessments – contact us:

Benchmark invites feedback from active market participants by the latest 27th November 2026.

Comments are welcomed via submission to: prices@benchmarkminerals.com