Chinese lithium spot carbonate prices have started to move higher and this is likely to underpin a recovery across the whole lithium complex, according to William Adams, Fastmarkets head of battery raw materials research and base metals.
"The Chinese spot price has led [lithium] prices on the way up and led prices on the way down, with the cif Asian prices and the Europe and North American prices following suit," Adams said at the Europe Advanced Automotive Battery Conference on Thursday January 21.Fastmarkets' assessment of lithium carbonate, 99.5% Li2CO3 min, battery grade, spot price exw domestic China was 60,000-65,000 yuan ($9,283-10,056) per tonne on Thursday, up 9.6% from 54,000-60,000 yuan per tonne a week ago, and up 58.23% from 38,000-41,000 yuan per tonne on October 15.
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