[LG Energy Solution posts Q1 operating loss of 207.8 billion won]

2025 annual reports show that companies with captive phosphate rock (BATIAN, Chuanjinnuo, Xingfa) posted profit growth of 122%-158%, while those relying on purchased raw materials (LiuGuo Chemical lost RMB 456 million, Lubei Chemical profit fell 85%) struggled. The pattern of "who owns mines, owns profits" is entrenched.

Recently, the Ecological Environment Branch of Zaozhuang High-tech Zone approved the environmental impact assessment documents for the new ultra-fast charging battery industrialization project of Shandong Xinbang New Energy Co., Ltd., giving the green light for construction. The project plans to construct electrode production workshops, cell workshops, formation and capacity grading workshops, module workshops, comprehensive warehouses, hazardous waste warehouses, a wastewater treatment station, and other supporting facilities. The main products will be energy storage battery packs and power batteries for new energy vehicles. The overall plant plans to include 2 ESS production lines, 3 BEV production lines, and 8 PACK production lines, with a planned total capacity of approximately 52 GWh.

Sandile Zungu, a South African businessman, is leading an investment consortium together with his firm Zungu Investments and former Glencore nickel trading executive Jason Kluk to acquire a 54.17% controlling stake held by Sumitomo Corporation in the Ambatovy nickel-cobalt project in Madagascar. Sumitomo has decided to exit the project after incurring cumulative losses of approximately $3 billion over the past 20 years and expects to record a one-off loss of about $445 million from the transaction, while retaining certain offtake rights. Sumitomo stated that it is confident the new shareholder structure, formed by Essenwood Partners and Zungu Investments, has the necessary technical and commercial expertise to operate the large-scale nickel-cobalt project profitably.