Lithium cobalt oxide price sliding down
2012-11-02 09:04:55 [Print]
BEIJING (Asian Metal) 2 Nov 12 – According to sources, because cobalt tetroxide price goes down to about RMB160-165/kg (USD25.40-26.19/kg) and battery grade lithium carbonate price keeps at around RMB42-44/kg (USD6.67-6.98/kg), mainstream price of lithium cobalt oxide drops to about RMB182-187/kg (USD28.89-29.68/kg), down slightly by about RMB1/kg (USD0.16/kg) during this week. Consumers are not in a hurry to make procurement because cobalt tetroxide price is on the falling trend.
A producer in Tianjin whose output of lithium cobalt oxide is 500tpm, reported to Asian Metal that their price of lithium cobalt oxide falls to about RMB184-187/kg (USD29.21-29.68/kg) because of the decreasing price of cobalt tetroxide. “Most cobalt tetroxide producers reduce offers to around RMB162/kg (USD25.71/kg) and as far as I learn, some deals of cobalt tetroxide are made at about RMB160/kg (USD25.40/kg). At the same time, lithium carbonate of battery grade remains at about RMB42-44/kg (USD6.67-6.98/kg) for domestic made materials and USD4.8-5/kg for imported materials,” said the source.
According to the source, demand from domestic lithium battery market is not strong, while the export market increases and they have exported close to 2,000t of lithium cobalt oxide in the first three quarters of 2012.
A lithium battery producer in Heilongjiang, who uses lithium cobalt oxide and lithium manganate as raw materials, disclosed that they bought a batch of lithium cobalt oxide at RMB185/kg (USD29.37/kg). “Lithium cobalt oxide price drops little by little together with the decreasing price of cobalt tetroxide,” said the source whose consumption of lithium cobalt oxide is 40-50tpm. He said that their consumption of lithium cobalt oxide is almost the same as that in 2011.
Commenting on the future market, he thinks that lithium cobalt oxide price may come down slightly further since cobalt market is still oversupplied.
A producer in Tianjin whose output of lithium cobalt oxide is 500tpm, reported to Asian Metal that their price of lithium cobalt oxide falls to about RMB184-187/kg (USD29.21-29.68/kg) because of the decreasing price of cobalt tetroxide. “Most cobalt tetroxide producers reduce offers to around RMB162/kg (USD25.71/kg) and as far as I learn, some deals of cobalt tetroxide are made at about RMB160/kg (USD25.40/kg). At the same time, lithium carbonate of battery grade remains at about RMB42-44/kg (USD6.67-6.98/kg) for domestic made materials and USD4.8-5/kg for imported materials,” said the source.
According to the source, demand from domestic lithium battery market is not strong, while the export market increases and they have exported close to 2,000t of lithium cobalt oxide in the first three quarters of 2012.
A lithium battery producer in Heilongjiang, who uses lithium cobalt oxide and lithium manganate as raw materials, disclosed that they bought a batch of lithium cobalt oxide at RMB185/kg (USD29.37/kg). “Lithium cobalt oxide price drops little by little together with the decreasing price of cobalt tetroxide,” said the source whose consumption of lithium cobalt oxide is 40-50tpm. He said that their consumption of lithium cobalt oxide is almost the same as that in 2011.
Commenting on the future market, he thinks that lithium cobalt oxide price may come down slightly further since cobalt market is still oversupplied.
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
