Year-end promises few celebrations for mineral suppliers

Chinese producer Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium Co. Ltd increased the price of its lithium carbonate twice in October, with a second revision at the end of the month increasing the sale value of its material by nearly 17%, from Chinese renminbi (Rmb) 60,000/tonne ($9,470/tonne*) to Rmb 70,000/tonne ($11,049/tonne). Ganfeng had implemented an earlier increase from Rmb 55,000/tonne ($8,681/tonne) in mid-October. The latest increase means prices are now around 67% higher than they were at the start of this year, when Ganfeng's lithium carbonate cost around Rmb 42,000/tonne ($6,629/tonne). IM understands that prices for battery grade LiOH in China stood at around Chinese renminbi (Rmb) 52,000-56,000/tonne ($8,187-8,818/tonne) at the end of November, up from Rmb 45,000-48,000/tonne ($7,086-7,558/tonne) at the beginning of October. In southeast China, the Ganzhou Rare Earth Association has also raised its guidance prices for a number of rare earth concentrates, each by Rmb 10,000/tonne ($1,575/tonne). Medium yttrium-rich europium concentrates now stand at Rmb 180,000/tonne ($28,362/tonne); high yttrium sourced from Longnan is now Rmb 190,000/tonne ($29,938); high yttrium from Anyuan is now priced at Rmb 180,000/tonne ($28,362/tonne); and low yttrium-low europium concentrate from Xunwu has been set at Rmb 110,000/tonne ($17,332/tonne). Menos