[SMM Analysis] China's May 2026 spodumene imports: 681k t physical, -10% MoM, +12.5% YoY, ~66k t LCE

Published: Jun 24, 2026 15:27

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According to customs data, China's spodumene imports in May 2026 reached 681,000 physical tons, down 10% month-on-month but up 12.5% year-on-year, equivalent to approximately 66,000 tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE). The monthly import volume continued to decline from April.

By source country:

Australian ore arrivals returned to a relatively normal level, exceeding 330,000 tons this month, down 6% month-on-month.
Shipments from Zimbabwe, dispatched earlier, arrived at 63,800 tons, down 41% month-on-month.
South Africa and Nigeria maintained stable exports from April to May, with arrivals ranging between 90,000 and 110,000 tons per month.
Mali's arrivals were relatively low this month at only 38,000 tons; although up month-on-month, they have not yet returned to a higher level.

Additionally, based on SMM's screening, the imported ore in May equated to 66,000 tons of LCE. Lithium concentrate accounted for 81% of the total ore, a slight increase from the previous month's share.

Source: China Customs, SMM

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

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