[POSCO and SK On Form Lithium Alliance for Battery Cooperation]
POSCO and SK On have signed a long-term lithium supply agreement, aiming to stabilize the battery materials supply chain.
According to a statement released by the two companies on Wednesday, POSCO will supply up to 25,000 mt of lithium from this year until 2028 under the agreement.
This supply is sufficient to produce batteries for approximately 400,000 EVs. The lithium will be produced by POSCO Argentina at the Salar del Hombre Muerto salt flat in Salta Province, Argentina, and supplied to SK On's EV battery projects in Europe and North America.
SK On is also considering using the material for ESS.
Source: https://pulse.mk.co.kr/
[Cornwall's Geothermal Revolution: Extracting Green Energy and Lithium from Granite]
The UK's renewable energy sector has achieved a significant leap forward, with a pioneering mini power station in Cornwall officially commencing operation, successfully using underground hot granite to produce zero-carbon electricity and extract high-value battery-grade lithium.
Led by Geothermal Engineering Ltd., the project innovatively combines green power generation with critical minerals extraction, is expected to revitalize the region's historic mining economy and supply electricity to thousands of households via the power grid.
For East Africa, a region rich in geothermal potential (particularly the Kenyan Rift Valley), the dual extraction technology provides an attractive model. If African energy producers can adopt this approach, simultaneously obtaining electricity and high-profit minerals from geothermal wells, it will significantly enhance the economic feasibility of green energy projects across the continent.
Source: https://streamlinefeed.co.ke/
[Zimbabwe Bans Lithium Exports: Global Supply Chain Crisis Emerges]
Zimbabwe's recent decision to implement a comprehensive ban on lithium exports marks a watershed moment for the global critical minerals market, highlighting the growing influence of resource nationalism on international supply chains. This policy shift reflects a broader trend: mineral-rich countries are prioritizing domestic value creation over raw material exports, fundamentally altering the landscape of the global battery metals market.
The impact extends far beyond a single country; its ripple effects will run through international supply chains, from EVs to renewable energy infrastructure. When countries with significant mineral reserves impose export restrictions, the resulting market dynamics can permanently alter the entire industry's price structures, investment flows, and strategic planning.
Zimbabwe's recent decision to suspend mineral exports is a prominent example of this phenomenon. This southern African country, which supplied approximately 10% of the world's lithium resources in 2024, has effectively cut off external supply of its battery metal resources, forcing international buyers to scramble for alternative sources, while domestic processing capacity remains severely underdeveloped.
Source: https://discoveryalert.com.au/
[Atlantic Lithium Acquisition Proposal Rejected: 2026 Strategic Value Preservation Strategy]
When mature miners pursue mergers and acquisitions during market recovery periods, the core of their strategy shifts from acquiring distressed assets to preserving strategic value. The lithium industry exemplifies this dynamic—during phases of rebounding commodity prices, pre-production developers increasingly tend to reject acquisition proposals, prioritizing long-term value creation over immediate liquidity events. Furthermore, understanding broader critical minerals strategies is essential when assessing these complex market dynamics.
Market participants observed that spodumene concentrate prices rebounded from a cyclical low of $800/mt in October 2025 to approximately $1,900/mt by February 2026, a 137.5% increase within four months. This rapid recovery has created a significant valuation gap between acquirers' offers and target companies' intrinsic value assessments.
The case of Atlantic Lithium's rejected acquisition proposal demonstrates how pre-production lithium developers evaluate conditional non-binding acquisition offers based on the medium and long-term demand fundamentals in the EV and BESS sectors. Enterprises in the late-stage permitting phase generally believe that current market conditions do not fully reflect the full potential of their asset portfolios.
Source: https://discoveryalert.com.au/
[Indian Company Deploys Non-Lithium Multi-Ion Battery System]
Mumbai-based battery technology developer Gegadyne Energy stated that its delivery of the first non-lithium multi-ion chemistry battery packs to two of the world's largest material handling original equipment manufacturers marks a true "inflection point" for the forklift industry.
Gegadyne has completed the first commercial deployment of its non-lithium multi-ion chemistry battery packs with Linde Material Handling India and the Godrej & Boyce Group.
The company claims that this battery, with a cycle life exceeding 5,000 cycles, can be charged from 0% to 100% in 15 minutes, thereby "completely eliminating" dependence on the lithium supply chain.
Designed for forklifts, cranes, and warehouse equipment, the battery operates effectively within a temperature range of -40°C to 65°C.
Source: https://www.forkliftaction.com/
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