Battery raw materials

Prices, news and analysis for the commodities used in EV and ESS batteries

The critical materials used in manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles (EV) and energy storage systems (ESS) play a vital role in our move towards a zero-carbon future.

Fastmarkets’ battery raw materials suite brings together the vital commercial insights, data and analytics that you need to help you make accurate forecasts, manage inventories and price risk, benchmark costs against your peers’ and balance the costs and benefits of sustainability.

Our customers get access to in-depth price data and short- and long-term forecasting and analysis for the following raw materials:

We continue to expand our coverage as the global BRM market and the needs of the consumer evolve.

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Fastmarkets’ battery raw materials products give market participants and investors the transparency and clarity to make critical and strategic business decisions.

Trade on market-reflective prices

Validate your price, supply and demand forecasts for 1-2 years in the future

Access critical long-term forecasts for the next 10-15 years

Gain a competitive edge in the emerging battery recycling market

Providing greater transparency into the cost of key Li-ion cell components

Enable risk management using futures contracts

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Key prices

  • Lithium Lithium carbonate 99.5% Li2CO3 min, battery grade, contract price cif China, Japan & Korea, $/kg (MB-LI-0027)
  • Lithium Spodumene min 6% Li2O, spot price, cif China, $/tonne (MB-LI-0012)
  • Lithium Lithium carbonate 99.5% Li2CO3 min, battery grade, spot prices cif China, Japan & Korea, $/kg (MB-LI-0029)
  • Lithium Lithium hydroxide monohydrate LiOH.H2O 56.5% LiOH min, battery grade, spot price cif China, Japan & Korea, $/kg (MB-LI-0033)
  • Cobalt Cobalt standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lb (MB-CO-0005)

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What’s happening in the battery raw materials market?

Our team of senior analysts and price researchers provide battery raw material prices, forward-looking reports and analysis of the market conditions. Get up-to-speed with our battery raw material prices, news, trends and forecasts.

Spodumene prices rose on Wednesday November 6 as Chinese lithium producers restocked, but news of the US election result late in the session weakened sentiment.

Donald Trump has previously said he plans to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), at least partially, and rescind its unspent funds.

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) announced on Thursday October 31 a further $44.8 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) for eight projects to lower the costs of recycling electric vehicle (EV) batteries and EV battery components to ultimately decrease overall EV costs.

Li-Cycle announced on Thursday October 31 that it had entered an agreement with Glencore to sell 100% of the premium nickel-cobalt mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP) production at its stalled hub in Rochester, New York – a step that could support Li-Cycle’s efforts to finalize a loan with the US Department of Energy (DOE).

Lithium prices have fallen significantly, putting the cost of cells at 7.5% of the price of an EV as of August 2024 (Tesla Model 3 Base, USA), down from 15% in January 2023. Find out how falling raw materials prices are impacting auto OEMs and reshaping global EV pricing strategies

African material will remain part of the tantalum supply chain regardless of the lithium market, according to Ian Margerison, executive marketing manager at the Tantalum-Niobium International Study Center (TIC).

Browse our resource hub for Fastmarkets’ battery raw materials insights and forecasts, as well as additional checklists and ebooks to complete your toolkit for success.

Upcoming events

February 01-03, 2026 | New Delhi, India
Gain early-mover insights into India’s fast-emerging battery market—set to become the world’s 3rd largest player despite its current nascent stage

March 24-26, 2026 | Shanghai, China
Backed by Fastmarkets’ independent analysis, it is where the market gains direct visibility into China’s production strategies, policy direction and pricing outlooks. Delegates use this access to anticipate shifts in costs, trade and demand, and to strengthen their position in the global battery supply chain.

April 27-29, 2026
With rising demand for ESS and EVs, fast-growing black mass recycling, and accelerating non-China sourcing strategies, the Conference offers unmatched access to Asia’s fragmented BRM landscape.

June 22-25, 2026 | Las Vegas, USA
The energy revolution: Powering tomorrow

Meet some of the team behind our battery materials insights and intelligence
Fastmarkets combines the commodity intelligence of these familiar names:

Metal Bulletin • American Metal Market • Scrap Price Bulletin • Industrial Minerals • RISI • FOEX • The Jacobsen • Agricensus • Palm Oil Analytics • Random Lengths • Hardwood Market Report
• FastMarkets and more