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

A summary of Australian spodumene concentrate miner Pilbara Minerals’ results for the third quarter of 2020, released on Thursday October 29.

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

What to read next
Spodumene production in Australia and Canada rose in the second quarter of 2025, with most producers maintaining profitability despite falling prices. However, several high-cost operations remain inactive amid ongoing market uncertainty.
To increase the transparency of our methodology, Fastmarkets clarifies that qualities of these two battery-grade lithium hydroxide assessments are both coarse. You can find the updated methodology for lithium hydroxide here: https://www.fastmarkets.com/uploads/2025/05/fm-mb-lithium.pdf To provide feedback on this clarification for the battery-grade lithium hydroxide methodology please contact Zihao Li by email at: pricing@fastmarkets.com. Please add the […]
China's black mass import rules, effective August 1, may reshape global battery recycling by tightening high-grade material supply and altering trade patterns, benefiting some suppliers while challenging others.
The Guangzhou Futures Exchange (GFEX) has set a daily position limit of 3,000 lots for non-futures firms and individuals on its September lithium carbonate futures contract, effective July 28. The move aims to address sharp price spikes and market volatility, even as oversupply persists.
Despite falling prices, three Brazilian lithium plants – owned by Sigma Lithium, Companhia Brasileira de Lítio (CBL) and AMG Lithium – are seeking to expand their operations in the coming years, in order to become more competitive in the global market, Fastmarkets heard during the “Lithium Business Brazil” event held July 8-10 in the state of Minas Gerais.
The government of Finland was ramping-up support for its burgeoning battery materials supply chain through grants for facilities owned by Easpring Finland New Materials and Fortum Battery Recycling, the firms said on Thursday July 10.