Tight supply pushes up lithium hydroxide price further in China
2015-07-10 09:50:20 [Print]
BEIJING (Asian Metal) 10 Jul 15 - The price of industrial lithium hydroxide monohydrate 56.5%min (Abbre. LiOH) further increased by around RMB1,000/t (USD161/t) to RMB45,000-46,000/t (USD7,258-7,419/t) early this week. Most producers reported that the production can’t be operated at capacity due to the short supply of spodumene.
A South China-based producer with a capacity of 6,000tpm for LiOH told Asian Metal that he only produced around 300tpm of the LiOH in Q2 because of the limited supply of spodumene. The source increased the price of LiOH to RMB45,000/t (USD7,258/t) early this month from RMB44,000/t (USD7,097/t) last month, but he has no inventories at the moment. “All products in July have been reserved last week,” said the source. “The same thing happened in last few months.”
The source said he mainly uses imported spodumene, but only gets around 10,000t of the ore in the second half of the year. “We need producing lithium carbonate for some long-termed clients, so have to cut the production of LiOH,” said the source.
A consumer in South China demanding around 3tpm of LiOH told Asian Metal he just received the offer at RMB46,000/t (USD7,419/t) early this week, which has been increased by more than 8% in Q2. “We last purchased 6t of the LiOH at RMB42,500/t (USD6,855/t) early April, and plan to buy to replenish stocks in the first half of the month,” said the source.
According to the source, he learnt the price of LiOH was at around RMB44,000/t (USD7,097/t) in June, expecting to conclude the deal at RMB45,000/t (USD7,258/t) this month.
A South China-based producer with a capacity of 6,000tpm for LiOH told Asian Metal that he only produced around 300tpm of the LiOH in Q2 because of the limited supply of spodumene. The source increased the price of LiOH to RMB45,000/t (USD7,258/t) early this month from RMB44,000/t (USD7,097/t) last month, but he has no inventories at the moment. “All products in July have been reserved last week,” said the source. “The same thing happened in last few months.”
The source said he mainly uses imported spodumene, but only gets around 10,000t of the ore in the second half of the year. “We need producing lithium carbonate for some long-termed clients, so have to cut the production of LiOH,” said the source.
A consumer in South China demanding around 3tpm of LiOH told Asian Metal he just received the offer at RMB46,000/t (USD7,419/t) early this week, which has been increased by more than 8% in Q2. “We last purchased 6t of the LiOH at RMB42,500/t (USD6,855/t) early April, and plan to buy to replenish stocks in the first half of the month,” said the source.
According to the source, he learnt the price of LiOH was at around RMB44,000/t (USD7,097/t) in June, expecting to conclude the deal at RMB45,000/t (USD7,258/t) this month.
Lithium Hydroxide Monohydrate LiOH 56.5%min, Magnets 0.0001%max Delivered South Korea
Unit:USD/kg
China lithium hydroxide monohydrate producers; inventory to production ratio statistics by province by month
Unit: %
