AT A GLANCE: Pilbara Minerals’ spodumene sales jump by 49% in Q3

In brief

• Pilbara Minerals attributed the 80% rise in spodumene concentrate production to increased process plant run-time to around 70% to meet increased customer demand.
• Sales increased by 48.8% due to improved lithium raw materials demand over the third quarter, which prompted the company to ramp up production throughout the quarter.
• Spodumene concentrate stocks increased over the quarter due to output exceeding sales volume. The company said that the build up in stocks was in preparation of contractual deliveries in the early part of the December’s quarter.
• Sales guidance for the December quarter is forecast to be 55,000-70,000 dmt.
• Pilbara said it did not experience any impact from the Covid-19 pandemic during the reporting period.

Operational results July-September 2020
(quarter-on-quarter comparison)

Spodumene concentrate output
62,404 dry metric tonnes (dmt), up by 80% from 34,484 dmt

Sales volume
43,630 dmt, up by 48.8% from 29,312 dmt

Spodumene concentrate stock volume
36,303 dmt, up 102% from 17,978 dmt