China’s State Reserve Bureau (SRB) is undertaking a significant purchase of cobalt as the Chinese government establishes a stockpile ahead of an expected uptick in cobalt prices, according to Benchmark sources.
While there has been no official confirmation, Benchmark understands that the tender process is ongoing and we expect purchase details, including price and volume, to be released next week.
The purpose of the SRB stockpiling development is driven by the needs of military and industrial applications in China. The material being purchased is unlikely to be destined for battery applications, but the decision to . . .