Adam Webb

Head of Battery Raw Materials

Adam is Head of Battery Raw Materials at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence and is responsible for market analysis and forecasting across all raw materials, including lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and rare earth elements. He has over a decade of experience as an analyst in the metals and mining space covering battery metals, precious metals, base metals and bulk commodities. Earlier in his career Adam worked as a geologist in the mining industry in Western Australia. He has an MSc in Geochemistry from the University of Leeds and a BSc in Earth Science from the University of Wales Aberystwyth.

Recent articles by this Author

Article | Apr 30, 2026 | 2 min read

Infographic: Battery material production expansion since 2020 driven by shifting chemistry

Production of battery materials has rocketed since 2020. Lithium in particular has surged, while other essential inputs like phosphorus and nickel have also grown as both lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) battery production have ramped up. In 2025, lithium production reached four times its 2020 level, growing from 395kt mined to 1,500kt. As lithium is used in almost all modern battery chemistries, its growth far outpaced other battery materials.

Batteries NCM

Article | Feb 12, 2026 | 4 min read

Indonesia announces significantly lower nickel RKAB quotas

The Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has set a 2026 nickel ore mining quota (RKAB) of 260–270 million wmt. This is notably lower than the approved 2025 quota of 379 million wmt, which was initially announced at just under 300 million wmt before additional permits were granted later in the year. The reduced RKAB quota reflects government efforts to manage supply growth, support nickel prices, and conserve domestic resources. Expectations of lower quotas and their potential impact on Indonesian supply have been a key driver of the recent rally in nickel prices. LME nickel prices rose from just above $14,000/t in mid‑December to more than $17,000/t on 11 February 2026.

Critical Minerals Nickel prices