Lithium cobalt oxide market sees increasing offers but thin buying activity
2012-02-09 08:57:33 [Print]
BEIJING (Asian Metal) 9 Feb 12 – With rising prices of cobalt chloride and cobalt tetroxide, lithium cobalt oxide producers raise their offers to about RMB199-206/kg (USD31.59-32.70/kg), up by around RMB2/kg (USD0.32/kg) compared with that before the Spring Festival holiday. However, as producers from lithium battery industry just start production, and most of them have made procurement before the Spring Festival holiday, lithium cobalt oxide market sees inactive purchasing activities.
A producer in Beijing, with a monthly output of about 250-300t, shared with Asian Metal that they have raised lithium cobalt oxide quotation to about RMB202/kg (USD32.06/kg), up from RMB198-200/kg (USD31.43-31.75/kg) before the Spring Festival in line with the upward trend of raw materials. However, the source reported that demand from lithium battery sector is still slow because lithium battery producers just begin to operate, so only some small and middle sized consumers make procurement at the present time.
Another producer in Hunan confirms that lithium cobalt oxide price is rising and they lift their offer to about RMB199-200/kg (USD31.59-31.75/kg). “Most cobalt tetroxide producers have raised their quotation to RMB185/kg (USD29.37/kg), and we lift our price accordingly,” said the source whose output of lithium cobalt oxide is about 30-40tpm. He also confirms that demand from downstream factories keeps weak and cash flow is not sufficient right now, so buying interest from downstream users is low.
A consumer in Guangdong revealed that the consumption of lithium cobalt oxide was 1,500-2,000t in 2011, and he reported to Asian Metal that they have prepared some raw materials before the Spring Festival and have no plan to buy immediately. According to him, it is still difficult to recruit workers after the Spring Festival in Guangdong and the operating rate is low at the moment.
A producer in Beijing, with a monthly output of about 250-300t, shared with Asian Metal that they have raised lithium cobalt oxide quotation to about RMB202/kg (USD32.06/kg), up from RMB198-200/kg (USD31.43-31.75/kg) before the Spring Festival in line with the upward trend of raw materials. However, the source reported that demand from lithium battery sector is still slow because lithium battery producers just begin to operate, so only some small and middle sized consumers make procurement at the present time.
Another producer in Hunan confirms that lithium cobalt oxide price is rising and they lift their offer to about RMB199-200/kg (USD31.59-31.75/kg). “Most cobalt tetroxide producers have raised their quotation to RMB185/kg (USD29.37/kg), and we lift our price accordingly,” said the source whose output of lithium cobalt oxide is about 30-40tpm. He also confirms that demand from downstream factories keeps weak and cash flow is not sufficient right now, so buying interest from downstream users is low.
A consumer in Guangdong revealed that the consumption of lithium cobalt oxide was 1,500-2,000t in 2011, and he reported to Asian Metal that they have prepared some raw materials before the Spring Festival and have no plan to buy immediately. According to him, it is still difficult to recruit workers after the Spring Festival in Guangdong and the operating rate is low at the moment.
Lithium Cobaltate Co 60%min Delivered China
Unit:RMB/kg
China lithium cobaltate producers' number MoM output increase statistics by province by month
Unit: pcs
