[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":724},["ShallowReactive",2],{"ticker-data":3,"story-article/the-year-western-companies-got-serious-about-manganese-2023-in-review":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":722,"relatedVideos":723},112470221706978,"d2d9f337-c94b-4fe8-91f7-cba02150cef0","The year Western companies got serious about manganese – 2023 in review","the-year-western-companies-got-serious-about-manganese-2023-in-review","article/the-year-western-companies-got-serious-about-manganese-2023-in-review",{"_uid":557,"date":558,"tags":559,"editor":560,"content":570,"excerpt":701,"featured":50,"reporter":702,"_editable":706,"component":707,"seo_title":553,"categories":708,"visibility":715,"author_company":49,"featured_image":716,"seo_description":701,"author_full_name":49,"author_job_title":49,"formattedDate":720,"formattedArticleDate":721},"10ccb141-9f0c-4eae-9173-9952a8d116ae","2024-01-02 00:00",[],[561],{"slug":562,"name":563,"content":564},"matthew-bird","Matthew Bird",{"job_title":565,"image":566,"bio":568,"linkedin":569},"Senior Editor - Supply Chains & Data Visualisation",{"filename":567},"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":571,"content":572},"doc",[573,580,585,590,595,600,615,620,625,634,641,646,651,656,661,666,671,676,681,686,691,696],{"type":574,"attrs":575,"content":576},"paragraph",{"textAlign":49},[577],{"text":578,"type":579},"Over the past year, a number of western companies have invested in building a supply chain to produce high purity manganese for lithium ion batteries, a market currently dominated by China. ","text",{"type":574,"attrs":581,"content":582},{"textAlign":49},[583],{"text":584,"type":579},"During the year General Motors agreed to lend Australia’s Element 25 $85 million to build its manganese processing facility in Louisiana, while Vibrantz Technologies announced it would build a pilot plant to process high-purity manganese sulphate (HPMSM) in Mexico. ",{"type":574,"attrs":586,"content":587},{"textAlign":49},[588],{"text":589,"type":579},"In Europe, Euro Manganese announced it had received $100 million in funding for its project in the Czech Republic.",{"type":574,"attrs":591,"content":592},{"textAlign":49},[593],{"text":594,"type":579},"“Outside of China, there has been an increasing understanding that in the long run, HPMSM will be an important component of batteries,” Maximilian Court, an analyst at Benchmark, said.",{"type":574,"attrs":596,"content":597},{"textAlign":49},[598],{"text":599,"type":579},"“Most projects ex-China are still in feasibility or pre-feasibility stages, so next year could be a pivotal year for those seeking funding to begin construction.” ",{"type":574,"attrs":601,"content":602},{"textAlign":49},[603,605,613],{"text":604,"type":579},"Manganese is becoming increasingly central to automakers due to the adoption of more energy dense manganese-rich cathodes. They are forecast to have a 6% market share by 2030, according to Benchmark’s ",{"text":606,"type":579,"marks":607},"Manganese Sulphate Market Outlook",[608],{"type":609,"attrs":610},"link",{"href":611,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":612},"https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/forecasts/manganese/reports","url",{"text":614,"type":579},". ",{"type":574,"attrs":616,"content":617},{"textAlign":49},[618],{"text":619,"type":579},"But investments to increase supply are essential as the market is expected to enter a deficit by 2026, according to Benchmark. ",{"type":574,"attrs":621,"content":622},{"textAlign":49},[623],{"text":624,"type":579},"Less than 0.5% of total manganese supply is suitable for lithium-ion battery applications. That’s because, so far, high purity manganese sulphate and metal has had very few and very niche applications.",{"type":574,"attrs":626,"content":627},{"textAlign":49},[628],{"type":629,"attrs":630},"image",{"id":49,"alt":631,"src":632,"title":49,"source":49,"copyright":49,"meta_data":633},"","https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/8aea0308f8/bm-manganese-chart-2023.png",{},{"type":635,"attrs":636,"content":638},"heading",{"level":637,"textAlign":49},4,[639],{"text":640,"type":579},"The rise of LMFP battery cells ",{"type":574,"attrs":642,"content":643},{"textAlign":49},[644],{"text":645,"type":579},"Manganese chemistries such as lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) are becoming increasingly popular in China, due to the improved energy density they offer. They substitute the iron units for manganese while lithium and phosphate content remain constant. ",{"type":574,"attrs":647,"content":648},{"textAlign":49},[649],{"text":650,"type":579},"“The industry seems to be coalescing around a 60:40 chemistry split of manganese to iron,” Court said. “This is a fast-moving segment of the battery market and some ex-China start-ups are looking to capitalise on the energy density increases that LMFP can offer.”",{"type":574,"attrs":652,"content":653},{"textAlign":49},[654],{"text":655,"type":579},"“Penetration rates for LMFP could change the market for batteries (especially in the Chinese electric vehicle market) where automakers can scale quickly,” he added.",{"type":635,"attrs":657,"content":658},{"level":637,"textAlign":49},[659],{"text":660,"type":579},"Western players to build capacity",{"type":574,"attrs":662,"content":663},{"textAlign":49},[664],{"text":665,"type":579},"Dependence on China has prompted companies outside the Asian country to explore potential projects, with 19 new sites in early scoping announced in the past year. China has 30 projects at operating, probable or possible stages of ramp-up and planning. ",{"type":574,"attrs":667,"content":668},{"textAlign":49},[669],{"text":670,"type":579},"The US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has also encouraged non-Chinese production. However, the recent update to the IRA in December has drawn into question exactly how manganese will be classified for subsidy purposes, since the ore might fall into the category of a “low-value material” for batteries, while HPMSM will not. HPMSM producers manufacture the end product for the precursor cathode active material plants and it is clear which plant it comes from (Foreign Entity of Concern or not). ",{"type":574,"attrs":672,"content":673},{"textAlign":49},[674],{"text":675,"type":579},"“There remains a lack of economic clarity around the IRA’s stipulations for most battery raw materials and the US federal government is currently soliciting comments and feedback,” Court said. “Uncertainty around this classification is a key problem for new entrants looking to secure investment – particularly in a vertically-integrated North American setting.”",{"type":635,"attrs":677,"content":678},{"level":637,"textAlign":49},[679],{"text":680,"type":579},"Low price environment ",{"type":574,"attrs":682,"content":683},{"textAlign":49},[684],{"text":685,"type":579},"China dominates manganese supply, accounting for about 93% of HPMSM output in 2022. In 2023, there was plentiful supply in the market, 96% of which came out of the Asian country.",{"type":574,"attrs":687,"content":688},{"textAlign":49},[689],{"text":690,"type":579},"As prices decreased from the 2021 to 2022 highs, many Chinese companies found it unprofitable to operate at spot prices, however, and paused operations at points during the spring.",{"type":574,"attrs":692,"content":693},{"textAlign":49},[694],{"text":695,"type":579},"This was true even for some Chinese companies in the first-quartile of cash costs (on an ex-works China basis), according to Benchmark’s Court.",{"type":574,"attrs":697,"content":698},{"textAlign":49},[699],{"text":700,"type":579},"“Since prices were relatively low around June/July, market participants expected a slight increase towards the end of the year,” Court said. “But prices have since moved lower as there continues to be plentiful supply in the market and significant demand increases have been delayed due to broader macro headwinds.” ","Over the past year, a number of western companies have invested in building a supply chain to produce high purity manganese for lithium ion batteries, a market currently dominated by China. During the year General Motors agreed to lend Australia’s Element 25 $85 million to build its manganese processing facility in Louisiana, while Vibrantz Technologies […]",[703],{"slug":562,"name":563,"content":704},{"job_title":565,"image":705,"bio":568,"linkedin":569},{"filename":567},"\u003C!--#storyblok#{\"name\": \"article\", \"space\": \"\", \"uid\": \"10ccb141-9f0c-4eae-9173-9952a8d116ae\", \"id\": \"\"}-->","article",[709,712],{"slug":710,"name":711},"critical-minerals","Critical Minerals",{"slug":713,"name":714},"manganese","Manganese","private",{"id":49,"alt":631,"name":631,"focus":631,"title":631,"source":631,"filename":717,"copyright":631,"fieldtype":718,"meta_data":719,"is_external_url":51},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/85a63f3eb7/bm-erametmanganese-1.jpg","asset",{"alt":631,"title":631,"source":631,"copyright":631},"Jan 02, 2024","2nd January 2024",[],[],1792773906608]