After a rapid rise of domestic steel prices across Europe in the second half of 2020, market sources have been voicing concerns that the situation will echo the scenario in 2008 of a price spike quickly followed by a sharp fall.

US-headquartered lithium producer Albemarle Corp will double lithium carbonate output at its brine-sourced production facility, Silver Peak, based in Nevada, it said on Thursday January 7.

Swiss miner-trader Glencore and Chinese battery materials producer GEM have extended their agreement for cobalt hydroxide supply by another five years.

Hot-rolled coil prices in the United States have inched up further amid tight supply, but market participants questioned how long the recent high prices would last.

Fastmarkets reporters present the key themes and discussion points from the Lithium Supply and Markets online conference, which was held online on October 26-28.

Hot-rolled coil prices in the United States declined for the second consecutive day due to diminishing spot market activity and a lack of availability from steel producers, according to market participants.

Steel Dynamics Inc’s (SDI) new $1.9-billion flat-rolled steel mill in Sinton, Texas, could be the first electric-arc furnace (EAF) facility to produce exposed-grade automotive material, the company’s top executive said.