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.

Electra Battery Materials Corp announced on Thursday July 31 that it is starting metallurgical testing on cobalt feedstocks at its historic Cobalt Camp in Ontario and at its Iron Creek, Idaho cobalt and copper project to expand North American supply of critical minerals contained in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles (EVs).

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.

The Detroit, Michigan-based automotive giant General Motors (GM) and the Carson City, Nevada-based lithium batteries recycler Redwood Materials announced on Wednesday July 16 that they have agreed to build energy storage systems (ESSs) using both new and recycled batteries.

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.

In the weeks following confirmation that the cobalt market will face an additional three months of no exports from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), metal prices have consolidated as participants point to the future for bullish sentiment.

Despite the current headwinds, strategic partnerships and continued investment in the right areas, coupled with the underlying strong long-term demand fundamentals, will pave the way for success for lithium producers, according to the participants of the executive panel during the Fastmarkets Lithium Supply and Battery Raw Materials Conference, which took place from June 23-26 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The US needs well-defined and stable policy around critical minerals, energy transition and trade, while derisking projects and maintaining good relations with other countries to be able to establish sustainable electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage systems (ESS) supply chains in North America, according to industry experts.