According to SMM, the SMM lithium carbonate battery-grade price index was RMB 95,640/mt on January 31, up RMB 94/mt from the previous working day. The battery-grade lithium carbonate price range was RMB 940,000-995,000/mt, averaging RMB 968,000/mt, unchanged from the previous working day. The industrial-grade lithium carbonate price range was RMB 880,000-904,000/mt, averaging RMB 892,000/mt, up RMB 200/mt from the previous working day.

Currently, some cathode material companies have small replenishment demands, hoping to procure lithium carbonate at lower prices to plan for post-holiday resumption of production. However, the clearing of long positions and hedging opportunities have eased the delivery pressure on traders and lithium salt producers, so they maintain a firm price attitude and lithium carbonate prices remain stable.

At the same time, as most recycling plants have suspended/reduced production for the holiday, and logistics transportation in salt lake regions has been affected, tight supply of industrial grade lithium carbonate persists in the market, leading to a slight increase in industrial grade lithium carbonate prices.

Contact Patrickxu@smm.cn for more details