Category Archives: Minerals

Plight of the PRA and how Benchmark became the lithium industry’s reference price

Batteries, Chile, China, Disruptive technology, Energy storage, EV, Lithium, Minerals, Supply Chain, Uncategorised

Since its inception in 2014, the rise of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence as the lithium industry’s reference price has been the ideal case study for how the commodities publishing industry is changing. Scandals such as libor and credit ratings fixes have brought scrutiny (and with it a police raid) on commodity price publishers. This has resulted … Continue reading Plight of the PRA and how Benchmark became the lithium industry’s reference price →

Chart: Flake graphite capacity utilisation drops below 50%

China, Graphite, Minerals, Uncategorised

Weak flake graphite concentrate demand has forced global capacity utilisation under 50% for a second consecutive year. Flake graphite is used primarily in the steel industry – in refractory bricks and as a recarburising agent – and as a feedstock for battery anodes.  Although there was a marginal increase in production as a result of new … Continue reading Chart: Flake graphite capacity utilisation drops below 50% →

Cobalt brings tech giants’ supply chains into the spotlight

Apple, Batteries, Benchmark, Cobalt, conflict minerals, Minerals, Supply Chain

A new report by Amnesty International has uncovered human rights abuses by one of the world’s leading cobalt producers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Ltd, a mining group partly owned by the Chinese government, has been accused of selling cobalt sourced from child labor into major battery production facilities in China, Japan and South Korea. … Continue reading Cobalt brings tech giants’ supply chains into the spotlight →

Battery grade graphite set for record year

Graphite, Minerals, ,

China’s output of spherical graphite has continued to go from strength to strength in Q2 2015 on the back of strong lithium ion battery demand from Asia. The country, which produces 95% of the world’s uncoated spherical graphite – the semi processed material that makes a battery’s anode – has continued to see output surge … Continue reading Battery grade graphite set for record year →

China delays flake graphite restarts

Graphite, Minerals, ,

Winter conditions prolong flake graphite production slowdown; prices slide as suppliers offload inventories > Free battery supply chain seminars > Join our new Linked In Group > Benchmark Twitter Much of China’s flake graphite production remains offline following a prolonged suspension of operations in many areas due to severe winter conditions. While the closures have eased pressure … Continue reading China delays flake graphite restarts →