Processing latest news

• January 2022

  Serbia lithium project setback exposes fragility of Europe’s battery sector outlook

  26 January 2022

  Rio Tinto’s major setback at its lithium development project in Serbia exposes the overall fragility of Europe’s outlook for bringing battery raw material sourcing closer to home.

• Spot spodumene prices continue uptrend amid lingering supply concerns

  25 January 2022

  Spot prices for spodumene concentrate continued to post sharp gains over the past fortnight due to tight supply combined with continuously improving demand for downstream lithium chemicals amid booming electric vehicle (EV) demand worldwide.

• Fastmarkets launches graphite electrodes prices with firm market facing rising costs

  21 January 2022

  The first week of Fastmarkets’ coverage of China’s high power (HP) and ultra-high power (UHP) graphite electrodes prices examined a market in which prices were described as already high and expected to climb further, due to rising costs for raw materials, sources said.

• Supply risk puts brake on BFA price falls while WFA still down

  21 January 2022

  Prices for refractory-grade brown fused alumina (BFA) stabilized after five consecutive drops over the fortnight to Thursday January 20, while the price for abrasive-grade BFA ticked down slightly on the low end. White fused alumina (WFA) prices fell despite upward adjustment in the feedstock price, while bauxite prices remained firm on a looming supply crisis.

• Fastmarkets’ graphite flake carbon value in use narrows to below 4% for first time

  19 January 2022

  Fastmarkets’ graphite value in use (VIU) for carbon content of flake material has fallen to its lowest level since Fastmarkets began the measurement, while the price premium of large flake over fine flake has also been narrowing due to rising costs and prices for all materials.

• Demand for antimony expected to pick up after Chinese new year

  19 January 2022

  Antimony metal and trioxide market sources expected a supply squeeze and logistical problems during the imminent Chinese new year holiday although they also expected demand to return after the break.

• Image Resources completes Eneabba tenements transaction

  19 January 2022

  Australia-focused mineral sands miner Image Resources has completed the acquisition of a package of mineral sands tenements in the Eneabba mining district in Western Australia, the company said.

• Rising synthetic graphite costs may push battery makers to rely on natural material

  12 January 2022

  Chinese battery makers are expected to consider increasing the proportion of natural graphite feedstock they use in anode material because of the fast-rising cost profile and availability issues affecting supplies of synthetic graphite.

• China rare earth producer merger stresses country’s dominant position of critical material supply

  06 January 2022

  The latest merger of rare earth producers in China shows that balance of power in this critical material sector is nowhere near where western governments would like it to be.