COBALT INSTITUTE CONF 2021: Market maturity can help solidify cobalt's battery future - panel

May 20, 2021 / www.metalbulletin.com / Article Link

The cobalt market has started operating with more efficiency and transparency, which in turn, should make it easier to plan for battery-related demand, panelists said during the Cobalt Institute's annual conference on May 18-19.

The cobalt market faces the challenge of bringing sufficient material online to meet demand from the growing battery sector, while simultaneously filtering through varying signals from automakers that point to reducing or removing cobalt from battery cells. 
Price volatility is behind part of that drive. Fastmarkets' benchmark assessment for cobalt standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam soared to a nearly 10-year high of $43.70-44.45 per lb in April 2018 before slumping to $12.10-12.75 per lb in July 2019.
The assessment was $19.80-20.15 per lb on Wednesday May 19, up 28.08% from the start of the year, but down 21.80% from a recent high of $25.30-25.80 per lb on March 10.

"With prices in the early $20s, we can be comfortable with cobalt and the role it has to play [in stabilizing a battery cell]; but if prices continue to grow, requests...

Recent News

Rising metals price volatility over past month

January 12, 2026 / www.canadianminingreport.com

Gold stocks surge ahead of equities on metal price gain

January 12, 2026 / www.canadianminingreport.com

Base metals outlook for 2026 opaque after decent rise last year

January 07, 2026 / www.canadianminingreport.com

Gold and silver stocks far outpace the major markets

January 07, 2026 / www.canadianminingreport.com

Bank of Japan boosts rates, continuing an unwinding carry trade

December 22, 2025 / www.canadianminingreport.com
See all >
Share to Youtube Share to Facebook Facebook Share to Linkedin Share to Twitter Twitter Share to Tiktok