2012 Annual Report on Lithium Market
2013-02-28 18:58:13 【Print】
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1 Lithium price in China
The development of new energy lithium battery, oil grease and alluminium-lithium alloy sectors keeps boosting the development of lithium industry. In the year of 2012, Chinese lithium market underwent tight supply and soaring import as plants in northern China who extract lithium salts from brine ceased production in H1. Furthermore, global lithium giants Rockwood Lithium and FMC raised lithium salt prices constantly in May and June which injected vigor into the appreciation in lithium market. Talison Lithium actively raised prices, so spodumene price rose in July after the price rise at the end of 2011. Prices of industrial spodumene increased from USD250-270/t at the end of 2011 to USD280-300/t in the first half of 2012, and stayed at above USD290/t in H2 with USD320/t as the highest record. Domestic lithium salt producers also seized the opportunity to increase prices, which drove lithium prices up further. Prices of lithium recorded the top of this year in June, and prices of battery grade lithium carbonate gained by 13% to RMB42-44/kg (USD6.69-7.01/kg) in June, up from RMB37-39/kg (USD5.89-6.21/kg) in January. Meanwhile, prices of industrial lithium carbonate increased by nearly 14% from RMB35-37/kg (USD5.57-5.89/k) to RMB40-42/kg (USD6.37-6.69/kg).
The development of new energy lithium battery, oil grease and alluminium-lithium alloy sectors keeps boosting the development of lithium industry. In the year of 2012, Chinese lithium market underwent tight supply and soaring import as plants in northern China who extract lithium salts from brine ceased production in H1. Furthermore, global lithium giants Rockwood Lithium and FMC raised lithium salt prices constantly in May and June which injected vigor into the appreciation in lithium market. Talison Lithium actively raised prices, so spodumene price rose in July after the price rise at the end of 2011. Prices of industrial spodumene increased from USD250-270/t at the end of 2011 to USD280-300/t in the first half of 2012, and stayed at above USD290/t in H2 with USD320/t as the highest record. Domestic lithium salt producers also seized the opportunity to increase prices, which drove lithium prices up further. Prices of lithium recorded the top of this year in June, and prices of battery grade lithium carbonate gained by 13% to RMB42-44/kg (USD6.69-7.01/kg) in June, up from RMB37-39/kg (USD5.89-6.21/kg) in January. Meanwhile, prices of industrial lithium carbonate increased by nearly 14% from RMB35-37/kg (USD5.57-5.89/k) to RMB40-42/kg (USD6.37-6.69/kg).
