Get started

Lithium market outlook: A podcast with Peter Hannah and Joe Lowry

Listen to The Global Lithium podcast with Global Lithium's Joe Lowry and Fastmarkets' Peter Hannah as they discuss the outlook for the lithium market

March 28, 2023
Battery materials Lithium

Peter Hannah is a senior price development manager at Fastmarkets. This is Peter’s second appearance on The Global Lithium podcast. His first appearance, in June 2022, was ranked in the top ten of all episodes to date.

In this episode, Peter and Joe discuss the current lithium pricing situation and the volatility in China with the spot price dropping vs rising contract prices elsewhere. They also address lithium supply and demand, the future of lepidolite and the perceived threat of sodium-ion batteries.
Get more lithium insights


Joe Lowry and Peter Hannah will also be appearing at the Fastmarkets 15th Lithium Supply and Battery Raw Materials 2023 in Las Vegas. Peter will moderate a panel discussion entitled, ‘Lithium Supply: Are we heading into surplus or shortage?’

The discussion will focus on:

  • How do we rationalize lithium supply and demand numbers?
  • Can we physically build the equivalent of five lithium mines a year for the next eight years to hit that demand number?
  • Could technological innovations expedite, change or disrupt the expected supply demand balance of lithium as a commodity?

Register for your place at the event today

What to read next
Lithium mine Nevada, California
Ex-China lithium hydroxide production ramp-ups face delays on weaker demand
Lithium hydroxide production outside China continues to encounter operational hurdles and softer downstream demand, slowing the pace at which new capacity can achieve stable commercial output.
February 26, 2026
 · 
By Xiaoying Du
Petalite, petalite or castorite is an important mineral for obtaining lithium, battery industry, lithium source , macro photography
Mariana targets 20% cost cut at US lithium project, CEO says
Mariana Minerals is aiming to reduce US lithium production costs by roughly 20% using software to manage plant operations, the company’s chief executive officer told Fastmarkets.
February 25, 2026
 · 
By Andrea Hotter
Light, Bottle, Shaker
Market headwinds stall UK lithium development
Imerys has placed its Imerys British Lithium (IBL) project into care and maintenance, suspending active development for the foreseeable future as it reassesses capital allocation and seeks a long-term partner, the company announced on Friday February 20.
February 25, 2026
 · 
By Xiaoying Du
Accessories, Formal Wear, Tie
Copper’s new fundamental: How fear is shaping the market
Discover how fear, deglobalization and AI are transforming the copper market. Insights from the Fast Forward podcast's interview with David Lilley of Drakewood Capital.
February 24, 2026
DRC cobalt export ban
From Kinshasa to Kansas: US lays out its plan to reshape cobalt supply chains
When President Trump took office for a second time just over a year ago, he immediately sought to tear up the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a key piece of Joe Biden’s legacy. But plans announced earlier this week, ending on Friday February 6, have reshaped the future for cobalt and critical minerals.
February 11, 2026
 · 
By Alexander Cook
India’s battery supply chain: Building a sustainable future
The build-out of the Indian battery and critical mineral supply chain requires an integrated approach in terms of government policy, investment and subsidies and technology, market participants said during the inaugural Fastmarkets India Battery & Critical Minerals conference in New Delhi, India, over February 2-3.
February 11, 2026
 · 
By Viral Shah