South Korea to Add Auto and Battery Manufacturing to Integrated Environmental Management System

Today, the SMM battery-grade lithium carbonate spot price surged 5% from the previous trading day. In futures, the most-traded contract LC2701 opened higher at 161,500 yuan/mt, hit a high of 162,500 yuan/mt during the session, and closed the morning session with a gain of nearly 3%. The sharp price surge was mainly due to the slower-than-expected progress of production resumptions at Jiangxi mines, which continuously heightened market concerns over tightening lithium ore supply, pushing prices to climb rapidly. Demand side, as month-end approaches, downstream material plants are actively stockpiling for next month's production, and spot order purchase willingness has notably strengthened; on the spot market, some lithium chemical plants undergoing maintenance continue to prioritize long-term contract supply, while those not in maintenance have seen a significant increase in their willingness to sell spot orders as prices broke through recent highs, with market inquiries and actual transactions becoming more active.

The global lithium battery anode material industry is experiencing a clear recovery in sentiment. Data from the Power Battery Application Branch showed that in mid-August, the price of mid-end artificial graphite anode material reached 28,300 yuan/mt, up nearly 30% from the bottom of 22,000 yuan/mt in 2025; the price of high-end products reached over 48,500 yuan/mt, up over 10% from the bottom of 43,000 yuan/mt at the end of last year. In H2 of this year, the pace of anode material capacity construction in China has also accelerated notably.