As of Friday this week, at northern ports: Australian lump ore was priced at 39.5-40.5 yuan/mtu, unchanged WoW from last Friday; Australian seed ore was priced at 35.8-36.8 yuan/mtu, unchanged WoW from last Friday; South African semi-carbonate ore was priced at 32.6-33.1 yuan/mtu, unchanged WoW from last Friday; Gabon ore was priced at 35.6-36.6 yuan/mtu, unchanged WoW from last Friday; South African high-iron ore was priced at 29.1-29.6 yuan/mtu, down 0.68% WoW from last Friday. At southern ports: Australian lump ore was priced at 39.3-40.3 yuan/mtu, unchanged WoW from last Friday; Australian seed ore was priced at 35.5-36 yuan/mtu, unchanged WoW from last Friday; South African semi-carbonate ore was priced at 33-33.5 yuan/mtu, unchanged WoW from last Friday; Gabon ore was priced at 37.6-38.1 yuan/mtu, down 1.30% WoW from last Friday; South African high-iron ore was priced at 28.3-28.8 yuan/mtu, unchanged WoW from last Friday. During the week, the inventory of manganese ore at ports decreased slowly, and inventory buildup continued. Miners' offers fluctuated relatively small. Some miners, affected by the sluggish market, temporarily held back from selling. Inquiries from downstream alloy plants were active, but actual transactions were relatively sluggish. The spot market for manganese ore was in the doldrums.

[SMM Analysis: Can Anode-Free Sodium-Ion Battery Cells Become a New Breakthrough for the Next Generation of Sodium-Ion Batteries?] SMM reported on June 13: At a time when the field of energy storage is constantly pursuing innovation and breakthroughs, anode-free sodium-ion battery cells, as an emerging technology, are gradually emerging and attracting widespread attention. With their unique design concepts and potential advantages, they offer new ideas for addressing the many issues faced by traditional batteries, but they also come with a series of challenges that need to be overcome urgently...

Recent drilling results have revealed that both the Pinheiro and Reservatório ore bodies exceed expectations in terms of lithium grade and resource volume. The company has completed over 80% of its drilling program, with preliminary assay data indicating high-grade spodumene mineralization at depth, which could significantly enhance the project's overall resource base. Industry analysts suggest this discovery may increase total resources by 15-20%, while the high-grade zones could reduce initial ore processing costs and improve cash flow.

SMM Cobalt Morning Meeting Summary: This week, the spot price of cobalt sulphate dropped slightly. On the supply side, the quotes from mainstream cobalt sulphate smelters remained relatively stable, while some recycling plants saw a certain decline in their quotes. On the demand side, orders from ternary cathode precursor producers did not show significant recovery. Refined cobalt production was cut due to weak economic viability. Co3O4 producers were still depleting their inventory due to excessive stockpiling in the early stage. Coupled with the uncertainty surrounding future policies in the DRC, downstream producers generally adopted a wait-and-see attitude, remaining cautious overall, with consistently low purchase willingness. Spot transactions of cobalt sulphate were extremely mediocre. It is expected that before the official implementation of the policies, the spot price of cobalt sulphate will continue to fluctuate weakly.

[SMM Cobalt and Lithium Morning Meeting Summary: This week, the market price of iron phosphate showed a downward trend. To regain market favour, some high-priced iron phosphate products actively adjusted their pricing strategies. Meanwhile, the prices of raw materials remained stable, with no upward cost pressure observed. The shipment speed of iron phosphate is mainly influenced by the production status of downstream LFP. Currently, the overall performance of the iron phosphate market is stable, lacking significant fluctuations.

[SMM Analysis: Summary of LFP Market in the Second Week of June] This week, the price of LFP showed a trend of stopping falling and rebounding, with an overall increase of approximately 170 yuan/mt. This was mainly due to the upward inflection point in the price of lithium carbonate this week, which accumulated an increase of approximately 450 yuan/mt.

This week, the spot price of lithium carbonate showed a slight upward trend. Despite the continuous upward shift in the price center, actual market transactions remained sluggish.