[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":749},["ShallowReactive",2],{"ticker-data":3,"story-article/rio-tinto-considering-lithium-hydroxide-refinery-in-france":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":747,"relatedVideos":748},112471110011211,"6f6fedf6-69b9-48a2-83c5-a9eed5c77aba","Rio Tinto considering lithium hydroxide refinery in France","rio-tinto-considering-lithium-hydroxide-refinery-in-france","article/rio-tinto-considering-lithium-hydroxide-refinery-in-france",{"_uid":547,"date":548,"tags":549,"editor":559,"content":569,"excerpt":727,"featured":51,"reporter":728,"_editable":732,"component":733,"seo_title":543,"categories":734,"visibility":740,"author_company":49,"featured_image":741,"seo_description":727,"author_full_name":49,"author_job_title":49,"formattedDate":745,"formattedArticleDate":746},"6065826e-b47d-4adb-abed-2c42738a7270","2023-07-05 00:00",[550,553,556],{"slug":551,"name":552},"europe","Europe",{"slug":554,"name":555},"france","France",{"slug":557,"name":558},"rio-tinto","Rio Tinto",[560],{"slug":561,"name":562,"content":563},"didi-bostock","Didi Bostock",{"job_title":564,"image":565,"bio":567,"linkedin":568},"Editor - Energy Transition & Economics",{"filename":566},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/512x512/2c5ca5c1a3/didi-bostock.jpeg","Didi is the Energy Transition & Economics Editor at Benchmark, covering a broad range of markets across the energy transition. His remit spans from downstream sectors such as BESS and EVs, through to midstream such as new technologies and battery production, to upstream critical minerals mining. He also leads on financial analysis across these supply chains, alongside in-depth policy analysis.\n","https://www.linkedin.com/in/didi-bostock-656342198/",{"type":570,"content":571},"doc",[572,579,584,599,604,609,616,621,626,637,658,663,672,677,682,687,694,699,704,709,722],{"type":573,"attrs":574,"content":575},"paragraph",{"textAlign":49},[576],{"text":577,"type":578},"Rio Tinto is considering building a lithium hydroxide refinery in France to process material for the European battery market, Benchmark can confirm. ","text",{"type":573,"attrs":580,"content":581},{"textAlign":49},[582],{"text":583,"type":578},"The mining company is looking at building the plant on the site of a borax refinery it currently operates near Dunkirk. Production could begin from 2026.",{"type":573,"attrs":585,"content":586},{"textAlign":49},[587,589,597],{"text":588,"type":578},"The refinery would be ",{"text":590,"type":578,"marks":591},"Rio Tinto’s",[592],{"type":593,"attrs":594},"link",{"href":595,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":596},"https://source.benchmarkminerals.com/article/we-are-seeing-really-strong-interest-from-car-manufacturers-qa-with-rio-tintos-sinead-kaufman","url",{"text":598,"type":578}," first move into lithium hydroxide production and will add to France’s growing battery supply chain. The project has the support of the French government, and Rio Tinto is due to make a final decision on it by October, according to La Void du Nord, a French media outlet.",{"type":573,"attrs":600,"content":601},{"textAlign":49},[602],{"text":603,"type":578},"A spokesperson for Rio Tinto confirmed the report to Benchmark Source, saying: “the proposal is being investigated and no decision has been made at this point.”",{"type":573,"attrs":605,"content":606},{"textAlign":49},[607],{"text":608,"type":578},"The lithium refinery would be constructed in space currently underutilised at the borax facility, making permitting easy as the site is already industrially active.",{"type":610,"attrs":611,"content":613},"heading",{"level":612,"textAlign":49},4,[614],{"text":615,"type":578},"Dunkirk: France’s Battery valley",{"type":573,"attrs":617,"content":618},{"textAlign":49},[619],{"text":620,"type":578},"Dunkirk is emerging as France’s battery valley. The port city has a strong industrial past, with a lot of land and good electricity infrastructure.",{"type":573,"attrs":622,"content":623},{"textAlign":49},[624],{"text":625,"type":578},"Several companies across the electric vehicle supply chain are looking to maximise on these attributes.",{"type":573,"attrs":627,"content":628},{"textAlign":49},[629,635],{"text":630,"type":578,"marks":631},"Mercedes-backed Automotive Cells Company",[632],{"type":593,"attrs":633},{"href":634,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":596},"https://source.benchmarkminerals.com/article/umicore-wins-high-nickel-supply-deal-with-mercedes-backed-acc",{"text":636,"type":578}," opened its first gigafactory in the region earlier this year with plans to reach 40 GWh of capacity by 2030. In 2022, Verkor selected Dunkirk as the site for its 50 GWh gigafactory.",{"type":573,"attrs":638,"content":639},{"textAlign":49},[640,642,648,650,656],{"text":641,"type":578},"A joint venture between ",{"text":643,"type":578,"marks":644},"China’s XTC and France’s Orano",[645],{"type":593,"attrs":646},{"href":647,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":596},"https://source.benchmarkminerals.com/article/chinas-xtc-and-orano-strike-e1-5-billion-deal-for-frances-first-cathode-production",{"text":649,"type":578}," to produce cathode material in Dunkirk was announced by President Macron earlier this year. In the same announcement, it was revealed that solid state producer ",{"text":651,"type":578,"marks":652},"ProLogium would build a 5.2 billion euro gigafactory",[653],{"type":593,"attrs":654},{"href":655,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":596},"https://source.benchmarkminerals.com/article/prologiums-e5-2-billion-french-plant-advances-commercialisation-of-solid-state-batteries",{"text":657,"type":578}," in the city.",{"type":573,"attrs":659,"content":660},{"textAlign":49},[661],{"text":662,"type":578},"The addition of a lithium hydroxide refinery will add upstream supply of battery chemicals to the area.",{"type":573,"attrs":664,"content":665},{"textAlign":49},[666],{"type":667,"attrs":668},"image",{"id":49,"alt":669,"src":670,"title":49,"source":49,"copyright":49,"meta_data":671},"","https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/b6abc7bb1d/bm-europe-lithium.png",{},{"type":610,"attrs":673,"content":674},{"level":612,"textAlign":49},[675],{"text":676,"type":578},"Lithium hydroxide refining",{"type":573,"attrs":678,"content":679},{"textAlign":49},[680],{"text":681,"type":578},"As with almost every stage of the battery supply chain, China currently dominates in lithium hydroxide production. This year the country will produce 83% of lithium hydroxide globally, according to Benchmark’s Lithium Forecast. The second largest producer, Chile, is set to produce just 6.7% globally.",{"type":573,"attrs":683,"content":684},{"textAlign":49},[685],{"text":686,"type":578},"Europe’s share of global lithium hydroxide production is set to grow from 3.2% this year to 9.7% in 2030. Currently Europe’s lithium hydroxide production capacity is either located in Russia or the UK, through Leverton Lithium.",{"type":573,"attrs":688,"content":689},{"textAlign":49},[690],{"type":667,"attrs":691},{"id":49,"alt":669,"src":692,"title":49,"source":49,"copyright":49,"meta_data":693},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/b9dc18c37d/bm-europe-hydroxide.png",{},{"type":610,"attrs":695,"content":696},{"level":612,"textAlign":49},[697],{"text":698,"type":578},"Rio Tinto’s lithium operations",{"type":573,"attrs":700,"content":701},{"textAlign":49},[702],{"text":703,"type":578},"Rio Tinto has several lithium operations in its pipeline. Rincon in Argentina is a Brine and Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) project due to begin production next year. It will also produce lithium carbonate on site, with industrial scale production due in 2025.",{"type":573,"attrs":705,"content":706},{"textAlign":49},[707],{"text":708,"type":578},"Although the  proposed lithium hydroxide refinery will initially use feedstock from third parties, the aim is to use carbonate from Rincon when both facilities are up and running.",{"type":573,"attrs":710,"content":711},{"textAlign":49},[712,714,720],{"text":713,"type":578},"Lithium carbonate from Jadar could also feed the refinery, though this project is in a state of ",{"text":715,"type":578,"marks":716},"political limbo after its licences were revoked",[717],{"type":593,"attrs":718},{"href":719,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":596},"https://source.benchmarkminerals.com/article/europes-lithium-supply-outlook-worsens-as-serbia-cancels-rio-tintos-plans",{"text":721,"type":578}," early last year by the Serbian government.",{"type":573,"attrs":723,"content":724},{"textAlign":49},[725],{"text":726,"type":578},"The mining giant also has lithium projects in development in Western Australia and California, though these are further out than Jadar and Rincon.","Rio Tinto is considering building a lithium hydroxide refinery in France to process material for the European battery market, Benchmark can confirm. The mining company is looking at building the plant on the site of a borax refinery it currently operates near Dunkirk. Production could begin from 2026. The refinery would be Rio Tinto’s first […]",[729],{"slug":561,"name":562,"content":730},{"job_title":564,"image":731,"bio":567,"linkedin":568},{"filename":566},"\u003C!--#storyblok#{\"name\": \"article\", \"space\": \"\", \"uid\": \"6065826e-b47d-4adb-abed-2c42738a7270\", \"id\": \"\"}-->","article",[735,738],{"slug":736,"name":737},"critical-minerals","Critical Minerals",{"slug":739,"name":8},"lithium","private",{"id":49,"alt":669,"name":669,"focus":669,"title":669,"source":669,"filename":742,"copyright":669,"fieldtype":743,"meta_data":744,"is_external_url":51},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/28d646828a/bm-rt-jadar-banner.jpg","asset",{"alt":669,"title":669,"source":669,"copyright":669},"Jul 05, 2023","5th July 2023",[],[],1782229516589]