PRICING NOTICE: Proposal to launch a China nickel sulfate price

Surging demand in the electric vehicles (EV) sector has driven lithium-ion battery development in recent years.

Although compositions vary, two batteries have become dominant in the market: The lithium-ion nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) battery and the nickel-cobalt-aluminium (NCA) battery. More recently, a shift towards batteries being increasingly nickel-weighted has been evident.

Nickel sulfate – a key material for NCM and NCA batteries – is largely produced and consumed in China. With demand expected to grow in China in the coming years, seaborne suppliers are anticipated entering the market.

Metal Bulletin will monitor this market, ensuring it provides a representative pricing mechanism for nickel sulfate. 

The specification, delivery terms and publication timing – devised following an initial consultation with the market – are as follows: 

Price: China nickel sulfate, ex-works
Grade: Nickel content min 21%, max: 22.5%; cobalt 10ppm max
Type: assessed range 
Currency/unit: yuan per tonne
Min Lot size: one tonne 
Payment terms:  bank acceptance (other payment are normalized)
Publication: once a week on Tuesdays

The consultation period for this proposed launch will end one month from the date of this pricing notice on Friday July 20, 2018, with changes taking place from July 24, 2018, subject to market feedback.

To provide feedback on this price assessment or if you would like to provide price information by becoming a data submitter to this price, please contact Jon Mulcahy and Violet Li by email at pricing@metalbulletin.com. Please add the subject heading FAO: Jon Mulcahy, Violet Li, re: proposed nickel sulfate price.

To see all Metal Bulletin’s pricing methodology and specification documents go to https://www.metalbulletin.com/prices/pricing-methodology.html.