China’s cobalt raw materials imports increased more than expected in July, to rise further in H2 2020

Published: Aug 27, 2020 15:48

Save

Customs data showed that China imported 8,400 mt (Co content) of cobalt raw materials in July, jumping 92% from June and rising 10% from a year earlier. For January to July, imports totalled 45,200 mt (Co content), up 4% from the same period last year.

SHANGHAI, Aug 27 (SMM) — Customs data showed that China imported 8,400 mt (Co content) of cobalt raw materials in July, jumping 92% from June and rising 10% from a year earlier. For January to July, imports totalled 45,200 mt (Co content), up 4% from the same period last year.

Imports of cobalt ore stood at 502 mt (Co content) in July, soaring 1,022% on the month, but falling 16% on the year, and totalled 2,600 mt (Co content) in the first seven months of this year, down 24% from the same period last year.

Imports of intermediate products of cobalt hydro-metallurgy came in at 7,600 mt (Co content) in July, up 85% month on month and 9% year on year, with an average import price of $28,496/mt Co, rising 4% on the month and 19% on the year. For January to July, imports totalled 40,600 mt (Co content), 3% higher than a year ago, and import prices averaged $25,785/mt Co, falling 10% on a yearly basis.

SMM expects that 8,400 mt (Co content) of cobalt raw materials will arrive at Chinese ports in August, and 8,200 mt (Co content) in September.

Cobalt raw materials Imports

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.

For any inquiries or for more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn

For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn

Related News

3 hours ago

WIP Material Mismatch: The Core Bottleneck for Sulfide All‑Solid‑State Batteries

Jiuwu Hi‑Tech’s LATP Solid Electrolyte Passes 4.62V Overcharge Test; Ceramic‑Membrane Leader Advances Dual‑Track Solid‑State Battery Strategy

3 hours ago

Warm Isostatic Pressing Material Misalignment: The "Achilles' Heel" of Mass Production of Sulphide Solid-State Batteries [SMM Analysis]

[SMM Analysis: Warm Isostatic Pressing Material Misalignment: The "Achilles' Heel" of Sulfide Solid-State Battery Mass Production] Warm isostatic pressing is the core process for solid–solid interface densification in sulfide all-solid-state batteries. However, the substantial differences in compressive modulus and plastic deformation among cathode and anode active materials, solid-state electrolyte, and copper and aluminum current collectors cause non-uniform creep and interlayer slip within the multi-layer structure under 600 MPa isotropic high pressure. This is tolerable in small laboratory cells, but when scaling up to large-capacity automotive-grade cells, the yield crashes. The solution priorities are clear: material modification (addressing the root cause) > process optimization (providing relief) > equipment upgrade (limited symptom treatment with a clear ceiling). The hardware gap for China's warm isostatic pressing equipment continues to narrow, but shortcomings remain in process databases and turnkey solutions. The industry is now in a window period for pilot-scale equipment procurement, and China's iteration pace is faster than that outside China. The long-term success of equipment suppliers depends on turnkey line solutions and partnerships with leading clients, while standalone machine performance is merely the entry barrier. Constrained by the material misalignment bottleneck, achieving full-scale solid-state battery integration at the million-unit level before 2030 is extremely difficult, with only small-batch demonstrations in high-end car models likely to appear from 2027 to 2029.

3 hours ago

SMM Daily Review: Spot lithium carbonate price edged up on July 29

[SMM Daily Comment: Spot Lithium Carbonate Price Edges Up on July 29] SMM battery-grade lithium carbonate spot price edged up today from the previous working day. In the futures market, the lithium carbonate 2609 contract opened flat at 143,500 yuan/mt today, briefly dipped to 142,500 yuan/mt after opening, then found support. Bulls continued to enter, pushing prices up in a volatile manner. The contract shot up to 149,400 yuan/mt in the morning session, then faced bearish selling pressure and pulled back. Around midday, bulls and bears tussled repeatedly in the 147,000–148,500 yuan/mt range. In the afternoon, bulls consolidated at highs, with prices moving sideways above the average price line (146,600 yuan/mt). The contract consolidated at highs into the close, ending near 147,600 yuan/mt, and finally closed up 2.07% at 147,600 yuan/mt, with open interest decreasing by 11,126 lots. In the spot market, as prices fluctuated upward, downstream users purchased as needed on dips, mostly staying cautious. Upstream lithium chemical plants continued to hold prices firm and hold back from selling, with some still anchoring their spot order willingness-to-sell price above 160,000 yuan/mt. Overall, inquiries and actual transactions remained relatively stable.

3 hours ago