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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":885,"relatedVideos":886},176045228636176,"80c1a819-5c60-4407-ba5d-e6a023df02b5","Why are lithium prices surging in China again?","why-are-lithium-prices-surging-in-china-again-","article/why-are-lithium-prices-surging-in-china-again-",{"_uid":547,"date":548,"tags":549,"editor":568,"content":578,"excerpt":846,"featured":51,"reporter":847,"component":867,"seo_title":543,"categories":868,"visibility":874,"data_vis_image":875,"featured_image":878,"seo_description":882,"formattedDate":883,"formattedArticleDate":884},"7968222c-9631-452c-919e-7a81d082de60","2026-05-13 00:00",[550,553,556,559,562,565],{"slug":551,"name":552},"lithium-prices","Lithium prices",{"slug":554,"name":555},"china","China",{"slug":557,"name":558},"mali","Mali",{"slug":560,"name":561},"africa","Africa",{"slug":563,"name":564},"zimbabwe","Zimbabwe",{"slug":566,"name":567},"catl","CATL",[569],{"slug":570,"name":571,"content":572},"benjamin-roche","Benjamin Roche",{"job_title":573,"image":574,"bio":576,"linkedin":577},"Editor – Energy Transition Supply Chains",{"filename":575},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/800x800/66d6674fb8/benjamin-roche.png","Benjamin is Benchmark's Editor for Energy Transition Supply Chains, covering both upstream products like critical minerals and downstream products including energy storage systems and electric vehicles. He has previous experience covering trade flows, tariffs and the effects of geopolitics on supply chains.","https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminrochecontent/",{"type":579,"content":580},"doc",[581,610,618,630,650,658,669,678,701,709,717,726,749,758,766,775,783,802,811,829,838],{"type":582,"attrs":583,"content":584},"paragraph",{"textAlign":49},[585,593,605],{"text":586,"type":587,"marks":588},"Lithium prices are rising significantly in China due to ","text",[589],{"type":590,"attrs":591},"textStyle",{"color":592},"#000000",{"text":594,"type":587,"marks":595},"feedstock constraints",[596,603],{"type":597,"attrs":598},"link",{"href":599,"uuid":600,"anchor":49,"target":601,"linktype":602},"/article/lithium-feedstock-concerns-over-nigeria-port-security-challenges","ac84d8a2-c5ff-4605-b178-01e220567c7e","_blank","story",{"type":590,"attrs":604},{"color":592},{"text":606,"type":587,"marks":607}," and increased input costs, against a backdrop of robust demand.",[608],{"type":590,"attrs":609},{"color":592},{"type":582,"attrs":611,"content":612},{"textAlign":49},[613],{"text":614,"type":587,"marks":615},"According to Benchmark’s 13 May price assessment, battery grade lithium carbonate in China rose 23.3% month-on-month, while spodumene concentrate prices are up 29.9% over the same period.",[616],{"type":590,"attrs":617},{"color":592},{"type":619,"attrs":620,"content":622},"heading",{"level":621,"textAlign":49},2,[623],{"text":624,"type":587,"marks":625},"Lithium chemical inventories are still depleted",[626,628],{"type":590,"attrs":627},{"color":592},{"type":629},"bold",{"type":582,"attrs":631,"content":632},{"textAlign":49},[633,645],{"text":634,"type":587,"marks":635},"Inventory levels in China briefly built during April 2026",[636,640,643],{"type":597,"attrs":637},{"href":638,"uuid":639,"anchor":49,"target":601,"linktype":602},"/publications/analysis/monthly-lithium-inventory-china-april-2026","c160d123-802d-40c9-953d-aa269a9f5fff",{"type":590,"attrs":641},{"color":642},"#1155CC",{"type":644},"underline",{"text":646,"type":587,"marks":647},", after an eight-month period of destocking. However, early indications collected by Benchmark in May point to inventories returning to a drawdown position in China.",[648],{"type":590,"attrs":649},{"color":592},{"type":582,"attrs":651,"content":652},{"textAlign":49},[653],{"text":654,"type":587,"marks":655},"Adam Megginson, lithium price analyst at Benchmark, said that “there remains a two-month gap before additional supply from PLS’s restarted Ngungaju operation combines with additional volume reaching the spot market from Zimbabwe to ease the supply situation. During this period, prices are likely to remain bullish and volatile, as the only factor rebalancing supply and demand.”",[656],{"type":590,"attrs":657},{"color":592},{"type":659,"attrs":660},"blok",{"id":661,"body":662},"fcecc2fd-714b-4c37-a9b5-f4f910f89819",[663],{"id":664,"_uid":665,"type":666,"component":667,"fixed_height":668,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":668,"fixed_height_tablet":668},"28941403","i-2873ee32-44fb-48e7-862e-a131e41ac113","visualisation","ContentFlourish","",{"type":619,"attrs":670,"content":671},{"level":621,"textAlign":49},[672],{"text":673,"type":587,"marks":674},"Supply-side constraints in Africa",[675,677],{"type":590,"attrs":676},{"color":592},{"type":629},{"type":582,"attrs":679,"content":680},{"textAlign":49},[681,686,696],{"text":682,"type":587,"marks":683},"On the supply side, an export suspension in ",[684],{"type":590,"attrs":685},{"color":592},{"text":687,"type":587,"marks":688},"Zimbabwe has become a quota regime",[689,693,695],{"type":597,"attrs":690},{"href":691,"uuid":692,"anchor":49,"target":601,"linktype":602},"/article/zimbabwe-to-lift-lithium-concentrate-export-ban-with-stringent-conditions","3a50839c-53d8-42db-ba04-0293c9018f48",{"type":590,"attrs":694},{"color":642},{"type":644},{"text":697,"type":587,"marks":698},". The Zimbabwean government is also stepping up its efforts to assay material to more accurately determine grade and by-product contents and maximise export levies. Practical implementation issues are expected to slow exports over the short term. There thus remains a notable wait before these volumes ease current spodumene supply tightness.",[699],{"type":590,"attrs":700},{"color":592},{"type":582,"attrs":702,"content":703},{"textAlign":49},[704],{"text":705,"type":587,"marks":706},"With export quotas granted on a biannual basis, the possibility of renewed suspensions near the end of the year, when sulphate capacity pledges will meet the reality of project development timelines, offers further price support.",[707],{"type":590,"attrs":708},{"color":592},{"type":582,"attrs":710,"content":711},{"textAlign":49},[712],{"text":713,"type":587,"marks":714},"In Mali, renewed insurgent attacks raises the risk of supply disruption. While recent logistics attacks have not so far disrupted spodumene production or shipments out of Bougouni and Goulamina, the risk of curtailment remains. ",[715],{"type":590,"attrs":716},{"color":592},{"type":619,"attrs":718,"content":719},{"level":621,"textAlign":49},[720],{"text":721,"type":587,"marks":722},"Greenbushes production misses the mark ",[723,725],{"type":590,"attrs":724},{"color":592},{"type":629},{"type":582,"attrs":727,"content":728},{"textAlign":49},[729,734,744],{"text":730,"type":587,"marks":731},"In Australia, output at the world’s largest hard-rock mine, Greenbushes, was poor through Q1 2026. ",[732],{"type":590,"attrs":733},{"color":592},{"text":735,"type":587,"marks":736},"Low-quality ore,",[737,741,743],{"type":597,"attrs":738},{"href":739,"uuid":740,"anchor":49,"target":601,"linktype":602},"/article/greenbushes-downgrades-production-guidance-as-ore-grade-decline-accelerates","afd41dd3-acc7-4431-9c51-de8391eaa25b",{"type":590,"attrs":742},{"color":642},{"type":644},{"text":745,"type":587,"marks":746}," targeted as a result of mining operations failures and poor resource reconciliation, negatively affected recoveries while the ramp-up of its newest plant, CGP3, was briefly delayed. While company commentary expressed confidence in CGP3’s performance moving forward, ore quality and plant performance could hamper the operation for the remainder of 2026. ",[747],{"type":590,"attrs":748},{"color":592},{"type":619,"attrs":750,"content":751},{"level":621,"textAlign":49},[752],{"text":753,"type":587,"marks":754},"Hard rock supply faces explosives hurdle in China",[755,757],{"type":590,"attrs":756},{"color":592},{"type":629},{"type":582,"attrs":759,"content":760},{"textAlign":49},[761],{"text":762,"type":587,"marks":763},"Chinese supply may also face headwind from explosives availability – the government announced temporary control on purchasing and auditing of buyers following a fatal incident at a fireworks factory in Hunan province which killed 37 and injured dozens. Benchmark expects the control to last between one and two weeks. ",[764],{"type":590,"attrs":765},{"color":592},{"type":619,"attrs":767,"content":768},{"level":621,"textAlign":49},[769],{"text":770,"type":587,"marks":771},"Jianxiawo rumours continue to swirl",[772,774],{"type":590,"attrs":773},{"color":592},{"type":629},{"type":582,"attrs":776,"content":777},{"textAlign":49},[778],{"text":779,"type":587,"marks":780},"Rumours have continued to circulate regarding the restart of CATL's large Jianxiawo mine in Jiangxi Province. While the April appointment of Zijin founder Chen Jinghe to CATL’s newly founded mining arm raised restart hopes, sentiment among some market participants deteriorated since then. ",[781],{"type":590,"attrs":782},{"color":592},{"type":582,"attrs":784,"content":785},{"textAlign":49},[786,791,797],{"text":787,"type":587,"marks":788},"Citing a 10-month-old regulation restricting the mining of ores with grades below 0.4%, some circles have even floated the possibility of permanent closure.",[789],{"type":590,"attrs":790},{"color":592},{"text":792,"type":587,"marks":793}," ",[794,796],{"type":590,"attrs":795},{"color":592},{"type":629},{"text":798,"type":587,"marks":799},"Given several licence awards to operations targeting sub-0.4% ore since then, Jianxiawo among them, this would be a spurious basis for further delay. Benchmark’s bearish Jiangxi outlook remains tied to the politically sensitive nature of the operation’s tailings management. ",[800],{"type":590,"attrs":801},{"color":592},{"type":619,"attrs":803,"content":804},{"level":621,"textAlign":49},[805],{"text":806,"type":587,"marks":807},"Input costs pile additional pressure on converters",[808,810],{"type":590,"attrs":809},{"color":592},{"type":629},{"type":582,"attrs":812,"content":813},{"textAlign":49},[814,824],{"text":815,"type":587,"marks":816},"Prices for sulphuric acid",[817,821,823],{"type":597,"attrs":818},{"href":819,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":820},"https://intelligence.benchmarkminerals.com/article/china-to-potentially-ban-sulphuric-acid-exports-as-iran-war-pressures-supply","url",{"type":590,"attrs":822},{"color":642},{"type":644},{"text":825,"type":587,"marks":826}," – a key reagent in conversion flowsheets – continue to rally amid constrained supply out of the Strait of Hormuz. This is causing reduced utilisation rates at Chinese converters as supply scarcity squeezes converter margins.",[827],{"type":590,"attrs":828},{"color":592},{"type":619,"attrs":830,"content":831},{"level":621,"textAlign":49},[832],{"text":833,"type":587,"marks":834},"Demand from cathode producers remains robust",[835,837],{"type":590,"attrs":836},{"color":592},{"type":629},{"type":582,"attrs":839,"content":840},{"textAlign":49},[841],{"text":842,"type":587,"marks":843},"Downstream demand expectations of cell production have remained robust. Although unit vehicle sales in China are growing at a slower rate than earlier in the year, increasing vehicle pack sizes and robust commercial vehicle and truck electrified sales are making up the shortfall. This is in addition to a robust energy storage outlook.",[844],{"type":590,"attrs":845},{"color":592},"Lithium prices are rising significantly in China due to feedstock constraints and increased input costs, against a backdrop of robust demand.\n\nAccording to Benchmark’s 13 May price assessment, battery grade lithium carbonate in China rose 23.3% month-on-month, while spodumene concentrate prices are up 29.9% over the same period.",[848,858],{"slug":849,"name":850,"content":851},"adam-megginson","Adam Megginson",{"job_title":852,"image":853,"bio":855,"linkedin":856,"markets_covered":857},"Principal Analyst",{"filename":854},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/512x512/f25205e28d/adam-megginson.jpeg","Adam is a Principal Analyst at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence and is responsible for the lithium, graphite, synthetic graphite and anode price assessments. Adam is in constant communication with buyers, sellers, traders and distributors to collect first-hand price data and insights which are published in Benchmark's price assessments. He has presented battery supply chain analysis to executives and senators in the UK, US, France, Morocco, Germany and Japan. Before joining Benchmark, Adam worked at an energy transition impact investment company. There he focussed on distributing LPG smartmeters for cooking in Kenya and Tanzania. Adam graduated with a First Class Honours BSc in International Management from Warwick Business School..","https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-megginson/","Lithium,natural graphite, synthetic graphite, anode",{"slug":859,"name":860,"content":861},"luc-braun","Luc Braun",{"job_title":862,"image":863,"bio":865,"linkedin":866,"markets_covered":8},"Analyst - Lithium",{"filename":864},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/512x512/6f1a6949aa/luc-braun.jpeg","Luc is an analyst at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence focused on lithium supply, costs, and supply chains. Luc has a background in market analysis and research from previous roles where he covered nickel, deep seabed mining, and telecommunications. Luc holds an MPhys in Theoretical Physics from the University of Leeds.","https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucbraun/","article",[869,871],{"slug":870,"name":8},"lithium",{"slug":872,"name":873},"critical-minerals","Critical Minerals","private",{"id":49,"alt":49,"name":668,"focus":49,"title":49,"source":49,"filename":668,"copyright":49,"fieldtype":876,"meta_data":877},"asset",{},{"id":879,"alt":668,"name":668,"focus":668,"title":668,"source":668,"filename":880,"copyright":668,"fieldtype":876,"meta_data":881,"is_external_url":50},129069437345516,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/d0a32e42e2/bm-lithium-mine.jpg",{},"Lithium prices are rising significantly in China due to feedstock constraints and increased input costs, against a backdrop of robust demand.","May 13, 2026","13th May 2026",[],[],1783441469079]