CATL secures safety production permit for Jianxiawo lithium mine

CATL can likely restart its Jianxiawo lepidolite lithium mine in Jiangxi, China after securing a safety production permit. Benchmark has seen a copy of the permit certificate, which was considered the last official hurdle CATL needed to overcome to resume production at the mine which has been idle since August 2025. Benchmark’s Q2 Lithium Forecast anticipates 37kt lithium carbonate equivalent to be mined from Jianxiawo in 2026 assuming a September restart, accounting for ~1.5% of global mined lithium supply. This production figure could increase if the mine is restarted earlier than expected, something that is increasingly likely given the rapid pace of approvals in the past week. The mine is anticipated to operate at its planned capacity of 150ktpa by 2029.