The geopolitics-led diversification of critical minerals supply chains is broadly viewed as a tailwind to the lithium market, senior executives said during the Executive Keynote Panel at Fastmarkets’ Global Lithium, Battery and Critical Materials in Las Vegas on Tuesday June 23.

Here are some of the key discussion topics across the battery and critical minerals sectors ahead of Fastmarkets’ Global Lithium, Battery and Critical Materials conference taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States on June 22-25.

Few battery raw materials entered the 2020s with as much momentum as lithium hydroxide. As automakers raced toward electrification, the industry widely expected high-nickel batteries to dominate the next generation of electric vehicles (EVs). Lithium hydroxide, a critical raw material for nickel-rich cathodes, was projected to become one of the battery sector’s fastest-growing products.

As CBAM and the EU ETS reshape cost structures across Europe’s automotive supply chains, OEMs are under growing pressure to protect margins while navigating opaque carbon pass-through.

Fastmarkets launches payables indicators for nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) cathode black powder, CIF China, on Wednesday May 13. This launch comes following significant demand from Fastmarkets subscribers for increased transparency around prices for higher-grade battery recycling raw materials, given rising spot trading volumes. These new prices are the first of their kind, believed to be […]

Capital is flowing back into junior mining, but selectively. Investment is increasingly favouring development‑stage assets with clearer paths to production, supported by government funding and strategic partnerships. While demand for critical minerals underpins the cycle, early‑stage explorers continue to struggle for capital as investors prioritise discipline, ESG alignment and near‑term cash flow.

US-based Lyten is linking its battery manufacturing ambitions to the rapid expansion of data center infrastructure, while using former Northvolt assets to accelerate its scale-up, its chief marketing officer said in an interview on Thursday April 23.

From ultra-fast charging and vertical integration to global expansion and shifting consumer expectations, Stella explains how BYD is redefining what it means to be a carmaker, positioning the vehicle as a technology hub rather than simply a mode of transport.

China’s emergence over the past two decades has reshaped global trade. What began as rapid export-led expansion in the early 2000s has evolved into a far more strategic model: one centered on control of intermediate goods, deep integration into global supply chains, and the creation of structural dependencies across industries and regions, according to Mexico’s former ambassador to China, Jorge Guajardo.

North American automotive OEMs are navigating one of the toughest cost pressures today: raw material volatility. As supply chains become more localized through USMCA, the IRA, and reshoring, manufacturers continue to face rising material price risks.