By Martim Facada / September 28, 2018 / www.metalbulletin.com /
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AMG Minera????o, the Brazilian subsidiary of Dutch metals producer Advanced Metallurgical Group NV (AMG), has made its first shipment of on-spec lithium spodumene concentrate min 5.5-6.5% from its Mibra mine in Brazil to its long-term offtake partner in China.
AMG shipped 1,000-2,000 tonnes of lithium spodumene concentrate min 5.5-6.5% on a vessel to China on September 24. The cargo is equivalent to 140-280 tonnes of lithium carbonate.
The shipment comes two months after the inauguration of the concentration plant in mid-May of 2018, a spokesman for AMG told Industrial Minerals.
AMG aims to fully commission its Mibra mine operation within the next nine months and achieve a production capacity of 7,500 tonnes per month or 90,000 tonnes per year of lithium spodumene concentrate min 5.5-6.5%.
Under a multi-annual deal, AMG will be shipping its lithium spodumene to its long-term partner based in China, which supplies the Chinese battery industry and has capacity to produce both battery-grade lithium carbonate and hydroxide compounds.
Industrial Minerals assessed the lithium spodumene (min 5-6% Li2O) contract price cif China at $750-850 per tonne on Wednesday September 26. The assessment was at $850-925 per tonne at the end of August.
Demand for lithium spodumene remains strong in China, although prices have softened month on month due to lower lithium carbonate domestic Chinese prices. Spodumene prices are typically calculated taking as a reference the domestic Chinese carbonate price.
AMG plans to reach total production capacity of 180,000 tpy of lithium spodumene concentrate by the end of 2019.