[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":748},["ShallowReactive",2],{"ticker-data":3,"story-article/hitachi-plans-huge-anode-expansion-amid-a-graphite-overhaul-in-china":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":746,"relatedVideos":747},112474817535785,"864b98f8-3de9-4ac1-b913-9b3f3a7678bf","Hitachi plans huge anode expansion amid a graphite overhaul in China","hitachi-plans-huge-anode-expansion-amid-a-graphite-overhaul-in-china","article/hitachi-plans-huge-anode-expansion-amid-a-graphite-overhaul-in-china",{"_uid":557,"date":558,"tags":559,"editor":563,"content":573,"excerpt":722,"featured":50,"reporter":723,"_editable":727,"component":728,"seo_title":553,"categories":729,"visibility":738,"author_company":49,"featured_image":739,"seo_description":722,"author_full_name":49,"author_job_title":49,"formattedDate":744,"formattedArticleDate":745},"5876262b-a577-4fb5-97ea-b947fd52bbe6","2017-01-26 00:00",[560],{"slug":561,"name":562},"china","China",[564],{"slug":565,"name":566,"content":567},"matthew-bird","Matthew Bird",{"job_title":568,"image":569,"bio":571,"linkedin":572},"Senior Editor - Supply Chains & Data Visualisation",{"filename":570},"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":574,"content":575},"doc",[576,583,588,593,598,603,608,613,616,621,626,631,638,643,648,653,658,663,668,673,678,683,686,691,696,699,704,709,714,719],{"type":577,"attrs":578,"content":579},"paragraph",{"textAlign":49},[580],{"text":581,"type":582},"China threat sparks Hitachi’s four-fold lithium ion anode expansion for EV wave marking shift to from synthetic to natural graphite","text",{"type":577,"attrs":584,"content":585},{"textAlign":49},[586],{"text":587,"type":582},"Simon Moores, Andrew Miller ",{"type":577,"attrs":589,"content":590},{"textAlign":49},[591],{"text":592,"type":582},"The world’s second largest lithium ion battery anode producer, Hitachi Chemical, is to expand its graphite anode capacity by four-fold by 2020 in preparation for global wave of demand from the lithium ion battery megafactories that are under construction. Hitachi is investing up to $90m to expand its capacity in Japan to produce 100,000 tonnes of graphite anode material by 2020 – a move which could see it increase its anode market share to 40% from 20% today.",{"type":577,"attrs":594,"content":595},{"textAlign":49},[596],{"text":597,"type":582},"It is the most significant development for the lithium ion battery anode industry and flake graphite feedstock sector to date. While 70% of Hitachi’s anode production is presently made from synthetic graphite, its aggressive expansion will see it take a larger stake in natural spherical graphite – a move that could define the lithium ion battery industry’s trend of favouring natural graphite feedstock over synthetic material.",{"type":577,"attrs":599,"content":600},{"textAlign":49},[601],{"text":602,"type":582},"The company operates two lithium ion battery anode production facilities – Shimodate and Yamazaki both in Ibaraki prefecture – and is presently expanding output for 2017. Hitachi explained that the growth in its sales revenue from anode material is at 30% per year, partly due to a demand increase and strengthening prices.",{"type":577,"attrs":604,"content":605},{"textAlign":49},[606],{"text":607,"type":582},"At present, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence data shows a global anode market size of 105,000 tonnes for 2016 and forecasts that this will grow to 122,000 tonnes by end-2017. In a significant move, Hitachi outlined that it was seeking to also expand its anode production abroad – a first for the Japan-based operator.",{"type":577,"attrs":609,"content":610},{"textAlign":49},[611],{"text":612,"type":582},"While there was little detail on location, options will include setting up a facility within China and, perhaps more urgently, North America to serve the Tesla Gigafactory 1 and LG Chem’s Michigan plant that is expanding for the Chevrolet Volt ramp up. At present, the company’s largest customers are Nissan via AESC and LG Chem, which has recently struck two major supply deals with US-based Faraday Future and Lucid Motors (See Downstream News Analysis).",{"type":577,"attrs":614,"content":615},{"textAlign":49},[],{"type":577,"attrs":617,"content":618},{"textAlign":49},[619],{"text":620,"type":582},"One of the drivers behind Hitachi’s move is the threat of China’s expansions in spherical graphite and increasing grip on the battery anode industry over the past 12 months. Its main competitor and China’s leading anode producer, BTR New Energy Materials, has enacted its own expansion plans which will see it double capacity over the next 12 months.",{"type":577,"attrs":622,"content":623},{"textAlign":49},[624],{"text":625,"type":582},"Speaking to Nikkei, Hitachi’s President Maruyama, explained that “China is a threat” but has confidence in the consistency and performance of the company’s materials – two of the major challenges with supply of anodes to lithium ion battery producers.",{"type":577,"attrs":627,"content":628},{"textAlign":49},[629],{"text":630,"type":582},"Anode material produced from naturally sourced spherical graphite is dogged with consistency problems that are less prevalent with synthetic graphite. With the flake graphite feedstock being sourced from multiple mines in China, the final anode product (coated spherical graphite) can vary significantly in performance.",{"type":632,"attrs":633,"content":635},"heading",{"level":634,"textAlign":49},3,[636],{"text":637,"type":582},"Prices strengthening",{"type":577,"attrs":639,"content":640},{"textAlign":49},[641],{"text":642,"type":582},"Prices of uncoated spherical graphite – the precursor material to the coated spherical graphite used in anodes – have been strengthening throughout 2016 as a response to battery production within China. Prices have risen to a mid-point of just over $3,000/tonne for 15 micron, 99.95% C material in December 2016 with most of the increases coming in the first three quarters of the year.",{"type":577,"attrs":644,"content":645},{"textAlign":49},[646],{"text":647,"type":582},"Prices are still $200-300/tonne lower than January 2013 but are expected to continue to strengthen through the first half of this year. It is the first-time prices have risen since 2011 when the flake graphite industry, the feedstock for spherical material, reached all-time highs.",{"type":577,"attrs":649,"content":650},{"textAlign":49},[651],{"text":652,"type":582},"Since then, prices have been eroding as a result of a demand drop off in steel, initially in Europe and North America and most recently in China. Despite lithium ion batteries having the converse fortunes to steel, uncoated spherical graphite has still experienced depressed prices as a result of the low-cost flake feedstock and overcapacity in China. In 2016, however, demand caught up with the majority of this capacity – certainly from the quality end of the supply spectrum – and majors like Hitachi began enacted significant expansions for 2017 and beyond.",{"type":577,"attrs":654,"content":655},{"textAlign":49},[656],{"text":657,"type":582},"For many in the anode industry, the majority of new lithium ion battery demand is expected to begin hit the market between Q4 2017 and Q4 2018 and at present Hitachi and BTR are leading the pack in terms of expansions.",{"type":632,"attrs":659,"content":660},{"level":634,"textAlign":49},[661],{"text":662,"type":582},"China begins graphite overhaul",{"type":577,"attrs":664,"content":665},{"textAlign":49},[666],{"text":667,"type":582},"China has begun an overhaul of its graphite industry by removing an export tax on flake graphite and introducing a pollution levy that will become law. China’s Ministry of Commerce announced in late-December that it was to remove a 20% duty on natural graphite exports from 2017 onwards, in a move which is expected to have serious repercussions for graphite prices and the wider industry.",{"type":577,"attrs":669,"content":670},{"textAlign":49},[671],{"text":672,"type":582},"Rumoured for some time, changes in export duties for several niche minerals and metals were confirmed following years of disputes with the World Trade Organisation. The removal is expected to be implemented from January 2017 onwards, however clarification on this is expected in Q1.",{"type":577,"attrs":674,"content":675},{"textAlign":49},[676],{"text":677,"type":582},"When the duty is eventually removed global prices are expected to experience serious downward pressure as China – which already hosts many of the lowest cost producers in the world – will be able to export at prices up to 20% lower than current market rates.",{"type":577,"attrs":679,"content":680},{"textAlign":49},[681],{"text":682,"type":582},"This type of decrease would drag prices to unprecedented lows in an industry which has experienced almost five consecutive years of downward market pressures, and threaten not only the existence of established producers elsewhere but also several development stage projects with higher production costs.",{"type":577,"attrs":684,"content":685},{"textAlign":49},[],{"type":577,"attrs":687,"content":688},{"textAlign":49},[689],{"text":690,"type":582},"Despite this possibility, industry participants are now waiting to find out whether alternative taxes will be levied on other areas of production. By the end of the year plans had already been put in place to implement an environmental tax on graphite producers in an attempt to clean up some of the country’s less efficient operations and potentially ramp up consolidation in the industry.",{"type":577,"attrs":692,"content":693},{"textAlign":49},[694],{"text":695,"type":582},"This new environmental tax will come into effect on 1st January 2018, but industry sources believe this could be the first of a number of new taxes levied on the country’s producers to counteract the export duty removal.",{"type":577,"attrs":697,"content":698},{"textAlign":49},[],{"type":632,"attrs":700,"content":701},{"level":634,"textAlign":49},[702],{"text":703,"type":582},"Measuring the impact",{"type":577,"attrs":705,"content":706},{"textAlign":49},[707],{"text":708,"type":582},"the removal of the duty could cause a decrease in export prices of between 10-18% on average. It is, however, important to note that this duty is only applied to flake graphite concentrate, rather than its value-added derivatives such as expandable and spherical graphite.",{"type":577,"attrs":710,"content":711},{"textAlign":49},[712],{"text":713,"type":582},"These processed grades are not subject to an export duty and therefore their pricing structures are expected to be largely unaffected. This means that for many established and development stage projects targeting value-added production, the news will have little impact on their business models. But for the few outside of China which try and compete in the flake concentrate market, troubling times could be ahead. It is too early to judge the true impact of this type of announcement for the wider industry but it does signify a major shift in China’s approach to the graphite market.",{"type":577,"attrs":715,"content":716},{"textAlign":49},[717],{"text":718,"type":582},"As a strategic input for value-added markets – and in particular the battery industry – the country will seek to comply with international pressures while protecting its domestic producers and interests downstream. This will likely see consolidation, greater domestic consumption and value-added production in the longer-term. 2017 looks likely to be the start of this journey.",{"type":577,"attrs":720,"content":721},{"textAlign":49},[],"China threat sparks Hitachi’s four-fold lithium ion anode expansion for EV wave marking shift to from synthetic to natural graphite Simon Moores, Andrew Miller The world’s second largest lithium ion battery anode producer, Hitachi Chemical, is to expand its graphite anode capacity by four-fold by 2020 in preparation for global wave of demand from the […]",[724],{"slug":565,"name":566,"content":725},{"job_title":568,"image":726,"bio":571,"linkedin":572},{"filename":570},"\u003C!--#storyblok#{\"name\": \"article\", \"space\": \"\", \"uid\": \"5876262b-a577-4fb5-97ea-b947fd52bbe6\", \"id\": \"\"}-->","article",[730,732,735],{"slug":731,"name":263},"anode",{"slug":733,"name":734},"batteries","Batteries",{"slug":736,"name":737},"critical-minerals","Critical Minerals","private",{"id":49,"alt":740,"name":740,"focus":740,"title":740,"source":740,"filename":741,"copyright":740,"fieldtype":742,"meta_data":743,"is_external_url":51},"","https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/16cdc18f82/bm-hitachichemical.jpg","asset",{"alt":740,"title":740,"source":740,"copyright":740},"Jan 26, 2017","26th January 2017",[],[],1792773946493]