Global mining major Rio Tinto has sharpened its focus on lithium, betting not just on traditional hard rock or brine evaporation but on an emerging technology that could reshape the industry - direct lithium extraction (DLE)

Discover how big oil is fuelling change in the global electric vehicle (EV) market with the latest episode of Fast Forward podcast

Read Fastmarkets' monthly battery raw materials market update for May 2025, focusing on raw materials including lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite and more

To increase transparency, Fastmarkets has further clarified how it handles price movements during periods of low liquidity. Factors that Fastmarkets may consider during times of low liquidity include, but are not limited to: market fundamentals such as changes in inventory levels, shipments, operating rates and export volumes; relative fundamentals of similar commodities in the same […]

The US-China trade truce announced on May 12 has brought cautious optimism to China’s non-ferrous metals markets, signaling a possible shift in global trade. Starting May 14, the removal of additional tariffs has impacted sectors like battery raw materials, minor metals and base metals such as zinc and nickel, with mixed reactions. While the improved sentiment has lifted futures prices and trade activity, the long-term effects remain unclear due to challenges like supply-demand pressures and export controls.

Under the proposal, less-frequent price assessments that fall on Chinese public holidays will be published on the nearest working day. The prices are being skipped according to the currently pricing holiday schedule. Fortnightly and monthly prices that fall on Chinese public holidays will be assessed and published on the closest working day in the same […]

The rationales have been updated to include the following information: Owing to a UK public holiday on May 5, the Lithium carbonate cif China, Japan & Korea price and Lithium hydroxide cif China, Japan & Korea price will next be published on May 6. This is in accordance with Fastmarkets’ pricing schedule. These prices are part […]

Brazil is expected to become a reference in low-cost hard-rock lithium production and an investment hub for foreign companies. But some internal challenges remain for the country, such as funding and legal uncertainties, market participants told Fastmarkets.

Fastmarkets has partnered with the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) to launch a series of cash-settled lithium, spodumene and cobalt futures contracts that will be settled against Fastmarkets assessments.

The price was incorrectly published as 68,000-685,000 yuan per tonne on Tuesday. That has now been corrected to 68,000-68,500 yuan per tonne. Fastmarkets’ pricing database has been updated to reflect this change. This price is part of the Fastmarkets’ industrial minerals package. For more information, or to provide feedback on this correction notice, or if you […]