[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":699},["ShallowReactive",2],{"ticker-data":3,"story-article/cobalt-prices-hit-three-year-high-as-ev-growth-boosts-demand":540},[4,52,82,112,148,186,228,259,296,328,371,412,450,481,510],{"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},"2026-05-27","2wk","Updated every 2 weeks","Lithium",411.01,408.51,0.61,75.85,175.57,[15,16,18,21,24,27,30,33,36,39,42,45],{"date":5,"value":9},{"date":17,"value":10},"2026-05-13",{"date":19,"value":20},"2026-04-29",372.51,{"date":22,"value":23},"2026-04-15",354.35,{"date":25,"value":26},"2026-04-01",346.55,{"date":28,"value":29},"2026-03-18",351.32,{"date":31,"value":32},"2026-03-04",346.6,{"date":34,"value":35},"2026-02-18",324,{"date":37,"value":38},"2026-02-04",337.67,{"date":40,"value":41},"2026-01-21",298.32,{"date":43,"value":44},"2026-01-07",233.73,{"date":46,"value":47},"2025-12-24",203.79,"/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",449.85,451.12,-0.28,77.12,181.56,[60,61,62,64,66,68,70,72,74,76,78,80],{"date":5,"value":54},{"date":17,"value":55},{"date":19,"value":63},404.38,{"date":22,"value":65},381.25,{"date":25,"value":67},371.52,{"date":28,"value":69},373.01,{"date":31,"value":71},366.63,{"date":34,"value":73},349.17,{"date":37,"value":75},356.81,{"date":40,"value":77},316.73,{"date":43,"value":79},253.98,{"date":46,"value":81},220.12,{"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",358.35,350.28,2.3,76.32,168.94,[90,91,92,94,96,98,100,102,104,106,108,110],{"date":5,"value":84},{"date":17,"value":85},{"date":19,"value":93},328.09,{"date":22,"value":95},316.95,{"date":25,"value":97},311.86,{"date":28,"value":99},321.41,{"date":31,"value":101},319.14,{"date":34,"value":103},295.42,{"date":37,"value":105},310,{"date":40,"value":107},270.4,{"date":43,"value":109},203.24,{"date":46,"value":111},177.17,{"publishedDate":19,"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",244.61,252.61,-3.17,3.99,97.72,[122,123,124,127,129,132,133,136,138,141,143,146],{"date":19,"value":116},{"date":25,"value":117},{"date":125,"value":126},"2026-03-25",252.45,{"date":28,"value":128},252.84,{"date":130,"value":131},"2026-03-11",253.48,{"date":31,"value":126},{"date":134,"value":135},"2026-02-25",256.64,{"date":34,"value":137},255.58,{"date":139,"value":140},"2026-02-11",253.31,{"date":37,"value":142},252.26,{"date":144,"value":145},"2026-01-28",241.15,{"date":40,"value":145},"/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},"2026-05-20","Nickel",135.83,133.05,2.09,12.5,30.68,[157,158,160,163,166,168,170,172,174,176,179,182],{"date":149,"value":151},{"date":159,"value":152},"2026-05-06",{"date":161,"value":162},"2026-04-22",125.43,{"date":164,"value":165},"2026-04-08",124.51,{"date":125,"value":167},123.94,{"date":130,"value":169},123.51,{"date":134,"value":171},122.7,{"date":139,"value":173},123.79,{"date":144,"value":175},128.07,{"date":177,"value":178},"2026-01-14",120.74,{"date":180,"value":181},"2025-12-31",104.29,{"date":183,"value":184},"2025-12-17",103.44,"/nickel/prices",{"publishedDate":187,"updateFrequency":188,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":189,"today":190,"last":191,"percentageChange":192,"yearToDate":193,"yearOnYear":194,"oneYearIndexTrend":195,"url":227,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-04-30","monthly","Natural Graphite",82.93,82.39,0.66,1.66,-0.87,[196,197,199,202,205,207,210,212,215,218,221,224],{"date":187,"value":190},{"date":198,"value":191},"2026-03-31",{"date":200,"value":201},"2026-02-27",81.92,{"date":203,"value":204},"2026-01-30",81.69,{"date":180,"value":206},81.58,{"date":208,"value":209},"2025-11-28",81.35,{"date":211,"value":209},"2025-10-31",{"date":213,"value":214},"2025-09-30",81.74,{"date":216,"value":217},"2025-08-29",81.56,{"date":219,"value":220},"2025-07-31",82.47,{"date":222,"value":223},"2025-06-30",83.13,{"date":225,"value":226},"2025-05-30",83.77,"/natural-graphite/prices",{"publishedDate":187,"updateFrequency":188,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":229,"today":230,"last":231,"percentageChange":232,"yearToDate":233,"yearOnYear":234,"oneYearIndexTrend":235,"url":258,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"Anode Coke",84.01,79.79,5.29,12.86,12.75,[236,237,238,240,242,244,246,248,250,252,254,256],{"date":187,"value":230},{"date":198,"value":231},{"date":200,"value":239},75.72,{"date":203,"value":241},74.61,{"date":180,"value":243},74.44,{"date":208,"value":245},76,{"date":211,"value":247},72.75,{"date":213,"value":249},71.92,{"date":216,"value":251},71.46,{"date":219,"value":253},70.35,{"date":222,"value":255},67.35,{"date":225,"value":257},65.78,"/synthetic-graphite/prices",{"publishedDate":260,"updateFrequency":188,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":261,"today":262,"last":263,"percentageChange":264,"yearToDate":265,"yearOnYear":265,"oneYearIndexTrend":266,"url":295,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2025-11-17","Anode",77.79,77.96,-0.22,-1.93,[267,268,270,272,274,277,280,282,284,287,290,292],{"date":260,"value":262},{"date":269,"value":263},"2025-10-15",{"date":271,"value":263},"2025-09-15",{"date":273,"value":263},"2025-08-15",{"date":275,"value":276},"2025-07-15",77.93,{"date":278,"value":279},"2025-06-16",78.88,{"date":281,"value":279},"2025-05-15",{"date":283,"value":279},"2025-04-15",{"date":285,"value":286},"2025-03-17",79.89,{"date":288,"value":289},"2025-02-17",78.97,{"date":291,"value":289},"2025-01-15",{"date":293,"value":294},"2024-12-16",79.32,"/anode/prices",{"publishedDate":297,"updateFrequency":188,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":298,"today":299,"last":300,"percentageChange":301,"yearToDate":301,"yearOnYear":302,"oneYearIndexTrend":303,"url":327,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-01-15","Cathode",72.79,64.08,13.59,43.38,[304,305,307,309,311,313,315,317,318,320,322,325],{"date":297,"value":299},{"date":306,"value":300},"2025-12-15",{"date":260,"value":308},62.01,{"date":269,"value":310},53.51,{"date":271,"value":312},49.5,{"date":273,"value":314},47.28,{"date":275,"value":316},46.05,{"date":278,"value":316},{"date":281,"value":319},48.08,{"date":283,"value":321},48.92,{"date":323,"value":324},"2025-03-18",52.79,{"date":288,"value":326},50.86,"/cathode/prices",{"publishedDate":329,"updateFrequency":188,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":330,"today":331,"last":332,"percentageChange":333,"yearToDate":334,"yearOnYear":335,"oneYearIndexTrend":336,"url":370,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2025-03-31","Lithium ion Batteries",74.53,71.3,4.53,-1.6,-20.88,[337,338,340,343,346,349,352,355,358,361,364,367],{"date":329,"value":331},{"date":339,"value":332},"2025-02-28",{"date":341,"value":342},"2025-01-31",71.45,{"date":344,"value":345},"2024-12-31",75.74,{"date":347,"value":348},"2024-11-29",76.98,{"date":350,"value":351},"2024-10-31",77.34,{"date":353,"value":354},"2024-09-30",77.43,{"date":356,"value":357},"2024-08-30",80.56,{"date":359,"value":360},"2024-07-31",82.99,{"date":362,"value":363},"2024-06-28",87.2,{"date":365,"value":366},"2024-05-31",90.7,{"date":368,"value":369},"2024-04-30",93.2,"/battery-gigafactory/prices",{"publishedDate":372,"updateFrequency":6,"updateFrequencyText":7,"label":373,"today":374,"last":375,"percentageChange":376,"yearToDate":377,"yearOnYear":378,"oneYearIndexTrend":379,"url":411,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-05-21","Black Mass",54.15,51.47,5.21,25.5,92.33,[380,381,383,386,389,392,395,398,401,404,406,408],{"date":372,"value":374},{"date":382,"value":375},"2026-05-07",{"date":384,"value":385},"2026-04-23",48.63,{"date":387,"value":388},"2026-04-09",48.6,{"date":390,"value":391},"2026-03-26",47.29,{"date":393,"value":394},"2026-03-12",46.18,{"date":396,"value":397},"2026-02-26",45.8,{"date":399,"value":400},"2026-02-12",47.34,{"date":402,"value":403},"2026-01-29",49.57,{"date":297,"value":405},43.15,{"date":180,"value":407},47.05,{"date":409,"value":410},"2025-12-18",41.51,"/recycling/black-mass-prices",{"publishedDate":413,"updateFrequency":188,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":414,"today":415,"last":416,"percentageChange":417,"yearToDate":418,"yearOnYear":419,"oneYearIndexTrend":420,"url":449,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-03-19","Rare Earths",172.27,182.38,-5.54,20.73,54.49,[421,422,424,427,430,432,435,437,440,443,445,447],{"date":413,"value":415},{"date":423,"value":416},"2026-03-05",{"date":425,"value":426},"2026-02-19",179.86,{"date":428,"value":429},"2026-02-05",155.4,{"date":431,"value":429},"2026-01-22",{"date":433,"value":434},"2026-01-08",145.37,{"date":46,"value":436},142.69,{"date":438,"value":439},"2025-12-11",141.67,{"date":441,"value":442},"2025-11-27",136.29,{"date":211,"value":444},132.15,{"date":213,"value":446},139.82,{"date":216,"value":448},145.27,"/rare-earths/prices",{"publishedDate":213,"updateFrequency":188,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":451,"today":452,"last":453,"percentageChange":454,"yearToDate":455,"yearOnYear":456,"oneYearIndexTrend":457,"url":370,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"LFP",111.93,124.92,-10.4,-2.67,-3.42,[458,459,460,462,464,466,469,471,473,475,477,479],{"date":213,"value":452},{"date":216,"value":453},{"date":219,"value":461},109.9,{"date":222,"value":463},100.47,{"date":225,"value":465},103.62,{"date":467,"value":468},"2025-04-30",109.47,{"date":329,"value":470},115.87,{"date":339,"value":472},117.3,{"date":341,"value":474},114.57,{"date":344,"value":476},115,{"date":347,"value":478},117.82,{"date":350,"value":480},111.9,{"publishedDate":213,"updateFrequency":188,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":482,"today":483,"last":484,"percentageChange":485,"yearToDate":486,"yearOnYear":487,"oneYearIndexTrend":488,"url":370,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"NCM High-Nickel",99.44,96.91,2.61,2.37,-3.84,[489,490,491,493,495,497,499,501,503,505,506,508],{"date":213,"value":483},{"date":216,"value":484},{"date":219,"value":492},97.09,{"date":222,"value":494},94.93,{"date":225,"value":496},97.13,{"date":467,"value":498},97.89,{"date":329,"value":500},101.4,{"date":339,"value":502},93.25,{"date":341,"value":504},98.94,{"date":344,"value":496},{"date":347,"value":507},98.69,{"date":350,"value":509},101.87,{"publishedDate":213,"updateFrequency":188,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":511,"today":512,"last":513,"percentageChange":514,"yearToDate":515,"yearOnYear":516,"oneYearIndexTrend":517,"url":370,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"NCM Mid-Nickel",103.5,99.73,3.78,13.78,6.78,[518,519,520,522,524,526,528,530,532,534,536,538],{"date":213,"value":512},{"date":216,"value":513},{"date":219,"value":521},99.19,{"date":222,"value":523},96.02,{"date":225,"value":525},98.23,{"date":467,"value":527},99.24,{"date":329,"value":529},101.29,{"date":339,"value":531},87.61,{"date":341,"value":533},92.44,{"date":344,"value":535},90.96,{"date":347,"value":537},92.24,{"date":350,"value":539},95.09,{"id":541,"uuid":542,"name":543,"slug":544,"full_slug":545,"content":546,"relatedArticles":697,"relatedVideos":698},112473136172754,"011788cb-db0c-4cd9-af8b-ea6907f284b9","Cobalt prices hit three year high as EV growth boosts demand","cobalt-prices-hit-three-year-high-as-ev-growth-boosts-demand","article/cobalt-prices-hit-three-year-high-as-ev-growth-boosts-demand",{"_uid":547,"date":548,"tags":549,"editor":553,"content":563,"excerpt":676,"featured":50,"reporter":677,"_editable":681,"component":682,"seo_title":543,"categories":683,"visibility":689,"author_company":49,"featured_image":690,"seo_description":676,"author_full_name":49,"author_job_title":49,"formattedDate":695,"formattedArticleDate":696},"f2abe65c-e43c-41f4-b21f-46420c2e0419","2021-12-06 00:00",[550],{"slug":551,"name":552},"cobalt-prices","Cobalt prices",[554],{"slug":555,"name":556,"content":557},"matthew-bird","Matthew Bird",{"job_title":558,"image":559,"bio":561,"linkedin":562},"Senior Editor - Supply Chains & Data Visualisation",{"filename":560},"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":564,"content":565},"doc",[566,573,588,593,598,603,608,615,620,633,636,641,646,651,656,661,666,671],{"type":567,"attrs":568,"content":569},"paragraph",{"textAlign":49},[570],{"text":571,"type":572},"Cobalt metal prices are trading at their highest levels in three years, highlighting robust demand for the metal in electric vehicles despite the rise of alternative battery chemistries.","text",{"type":567,"attrs":574,"content":575},{"textAlign":49},[576,578,586],{"text":577,"type":572},"The price of cobalt metal rose by 10% in November, breaking through $30 per pound for the first time since the end of 2018, according to Benchmark’s Cobalt Price Assessment. They have risen by 92% ",{"text":579,"type":572,"marks":580},"year-to-date",[581],{"type":582,"attrs":583},"link",{"href":584,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":585},"https://source.benchmarkminerals.com/article/cobalt-starts-2021-with-a-bang-but-does-this-spell-the-end-of-low-prices-2","url",{"text":587,"type":572},".",{"type":567,"attrs":589,"content":590},{"textAlign":49},[591],{"text":592,"type":572},"Demand for cobalt  is set to grow at a 13% compound annual growth rate over the next ten years, as growth in electric vehicle sales outweighs the rise of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries that don’t use the metal, Benchmark forecasts.",{"type":567,"attrs":594,"content":595},{"textAlign":49},[596],{"text":597,"type":572},"LFP batteries have been adopted by a number of global carmakers such as Tesla and Volkswagen since they are cheaper and safer. But their limited range means NCM (nickel cobalt manganese) battery cathodes are set to remain the dominant cathode technology outside of China for passenger electric vehicles (EV)  for the next ten years, according to Benchmark.",{"type":567,"attrs":599,"content":600},{"textAlign":49},[601],{"text":602,"type":572},"By 2030 LFP is set to account for around 18% of EV battery demand, according to Benchmark’s Lithium Ion Battery Database.",{"type":567,"attrs":604,"content":605},{"textAlign":49},[606],{"text":607,"type":572},"In a sign of the demand last month Chinese cobalt producer Huayou Cobalt signed a strategic cooperation agreement with cathode maker Ningbo Ronbay, to supply it with high nickel precursor material until 2030.",{"type":609,"attrs":610,"content":612},"heading",{"level":611,"textAlign":49},4,[613],{"text":614,"type":572},"Battery producers in Europe and Japan buy cobalt metal",{"type":567,"attrs":616,"content":617},{"textAlign":49},[618],{"text":619,"type":572},"It is real demand driving cobalt prices this year rather than sentiment, as it was the last time cobalt prices rose, according to Caspar Rawles, chief data officer at Benchmark.",{"type":567,"attrs":621,"content":622},{"textAlign":49},[623,625,631],{"text":624,"type":572},"The last cobalt price spike, which came to a head in April 2018 when ",{"text":626,"type":572,"marks":627},"Benchmark’s average prices for cobalt metal reached $43.63/lb ($96,200/tonne)",[628],{"type":582,"attrs":629},{"href":630,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":585},"https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/price-assessments/#cobalt",{"text":632,"type":572},", was primarily driven by excitement about growing demand for the mineral from the EV sector.",{"type":567,"attrs":634,"content":635},{"textAlign":49},[],{"type":567,"attrs":637,"content":638},{"textAlign":49},[639],{"text":640,"type":572},"Battery producers in Europe and Japan have been buying cobalt metal this year, which has helped push up metal prices, according to Benchmark.",{"type":567,"attrs":642,"content":643},{"textAlign":49},[644],{"text":645,"type":572},"At the same time, there has been limited production of cobalt metal in China, as refiners have focused on producing cobalt sulphate after Covid-19 hit industrial demand for metal last year.",{"type":567,"attrs":647,"content":648},{"textAlign":49},[649],{"text":650,"type":572},"Traders are anticipating that stronger battery demand next year should start to push up prices for cobalt sulphate, the form used in batteries, however, Rawles said.",{"type":567,"attrs":652,"content":653},{"textAlign":49},[654],{"text":655,"type":572},"Cobalt sulphate prices increased by 2.3% on average in November, as prices tracked between RMB 88,000-92,000/tonne ($13,816-14,444) over the course of the month.",{"type":567,"attrs":657,"content":658},{"textAlign":49},[659],{"text":660,"type":572},"Over 70% of the world’s cobalt is produced in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where rising prices are leading to mine expansions, according to Benchmark’s Cobalt Forecast.",{"type":567,"attrs":662,"content":663},{"textAlign":49},[664],{"text":665,"type":572},"Glencore is in the process of restarting production at its Mutanda mine in the DRC, the world’s largest cobalt mine. The company said last week it expects the mine to produce around 10,000 tonnes a year of cobalt in the next few years.",{"type":567,"attrs":667,"content":668},{"textAlign":49},[669],{"text":670,"type":572},"Glencore’s overall cobalt production is set to grow from 38,000 tonnes to 50,000 tonnes a year, it said.",{"type":567,"attrs":672,"content":673},{"textAlign":49},[674],{"text":675,"type":572},"Sherritt International also said last month it would expand its mine in Cuba by between 15 to 20% to capitalise on rising demand for nickel and cobalt from the battery industry.","Cobalt metal prices are trading at their highest levels in three years, highlighting robust demand for the metal in electric vehicles despite the rise of alternative battery chemistries. The price of cobalt metal rose by 10% in November, breaking through $30 per pound for the first time since the end of 2018, according to Benchmark’s […]",[678],{"slug":555,"name":556,"content":679},{"job_title":558,"image":680,"bio":561,"linkedin":562},{"filename":560},"\u003C!--#storyblok#{\"name\": \"article\", \"space\": \"\", \"uid\": \"f2abe65c-e43c-41f4-b21f-46420c2e0419\", \"id\": \"\"}-->","article",[684,686],{"slug":685,"name":115},"cobalt",{"slug":687,"name":688},"critical-minerals","Critical Minerals","private",{"id":49,"alt":691,"name":691,"focus":691,"title":691,"source":691,"filename":692,"copyright":691,"fieldtype":693,"meta_data":694,"is_external_url":51},"","https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/ae400b8482/bm-glencore-ktanaga-copper-mine-drc2.jpg","asset",{"alt":691,"title":691,"source":691,"copyright":691},"Dec 06, 2021","6th December 2021",[],[],1780500983823]