Lithium Carbonate
A white, water-soluble lithium salt refined from spodumene or lepidolite ore, used directly as a cathode-material precursor in lithium iron phosphate (LFP) EV batteries and as the feedstock for other lithium chemicals.
Covered in 4 MetalsCost.com News Intelligence articles, most recently on August 15, 2026.
Coverage
Albemarle's Pivot to a Lithium-and-Bromine Pure Play Pays Off With a Record Quarter
Albemarle's Q2 2026 net sales rose 31% to $1.74 billion and adjusted EBITDA more than doubled to $858 million, as its completed Ketjen divestiture and a trimmed capex plan sharpened its focus on lithium and bromine.
CATL's Jianxiawo Mine Sits Idle Despite a Reissued Permit, Leaving Lithium Prices Guessing After a Nearly 30% Slide
CATL's Jianxiawo lithium mine remains idle even after its safety permit was reissued in June 2026, with the uncertainty over its restart contributing to a nearly 30% slide in Chinese lithium prices since May.
Battery Storage Overtakes EVs as Lithium's Fastest-Growing Demand Source
Lithium consumption grew 45% through May 2026, above Albemarle's own forecast, as battery storage and AI data-center backup power offset a 13% Chinese EV sales decline.
Lithium Spot Prices Are Falling, But the Forward Curve Is Pricing In a Very Different Story
Benchmark's forward curve shows spodumene in moderate contango, with 3-12 month lithium prices up $850-$2,787/t even as spot carbonate, hydroxide and spodumene all eased into August.
