According to customs data, spodumene imports showed a significant month-on-month increase in September 2025. China's spodumene imports reached 711,000 metric tons in September 2025, a month-on-month increase of 14.8%, equivalent to approximately 67,000 tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) (calculated by SMM based on average grade and moisture content analysis).
In terms of source countries, Australia, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe collectively accounted for 81.1% of total imports. Specifically, imports from Australia reached 347,000 tons, a significant month-on-month increase of 64.1%; imports from Nigeria were approximately 120,000 tons, up 14.4% month-on-month; while imports from Zimbabwe totaled 109,000 tons, down 7.8% month-on-month.
Additionally, imports from South Africa saw notable growth, reaching 109,000 tons in September. Meanwhile, there were no shipments from Mali in September.
Furthermore, after SMM's screening and analysis, spodumene concentrate imports in September were approximately 520,000 tons, accounting for 73.3% of the total spodumene imports.
