Evolution in China’s lithium supply chain paves way for commoditization
By Martim Facada
Published: Friday, 01 November 2019
Lithium has traditionally been considered a specialty chemical, but it has been acting more like a commodity in recent years, according to analysts. Martim Facada considers how this development was sparked by the growth of the Chinese industry and raised quality expectations.
Once considered a specialty chemical produced and
sold on spec for niche uses, lithium looks set to join the
ranks of the world’s traded commodity products -
albeit in relatively minor volumes.
Increasing production of lithium chemicals from diverse
sources, higher quality requirements in China and frequent and
sudden adjustments...