According to customs statistics, China imported roughly 619,000 t of spodumene in August 2025, down 17.5 % month-on-month and equal to about 56,000 t LCE (after SMM adjustments for average grade and moisture).
By origin, Australia, Nigeria and Zimbabwe still supplied 70.2 % of the total, but volumes diverged sharply:
Australia shipped 212,000 t, –50.5 % MoM;
Nigeria sent 105,000 t, –9.6 % MoM;
Zimbabwe delivered 118,000 t, +84 % MoM.
Notable increases were seen from Mali (73,000 t) and Brazil (18,000 t), both the result of single, concentrated cargoes.
SMM’s further screening shows that 470,000 t of the arrivals were spodumene concentrate, accounting for 76 % of the month’s total, with the rise driven largely by the rebound in Australian deliveries.
Source: China Customs, compiled and analyzed by SMM
