SQM forecasts a “very tight market” for lithium in the years ahead.

Investing in mineral-rich countries would be easier than building new mines in the US, said Benchmark Mineral Intelligence Executive Editor Henry Sanderson in an interview.

"It makes us the largest collector, packager and processor of both end of life batteries and battery manufacturing scrap in North America,” says CEO David Klanecky.

Lithium carbonate hit a fresh record of 500,500 yuan ($71,315) a tonne in China.

Battery-metals park that will process metals including lithium, platinum, and nickel, its latest plan to revive its moribund economy. 

Alpha HPA and Cobalt Blue will get about A$15 million each to set up an ultra-pure aluminum chemical plant and a cobalt project, respectively.

Two companies mine 85% of all boron. China holds a near monopoly on downstream processing. Now a California mine wants to break open this opaque market.

Compass chose EnergySource's direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology over four rivals.