A government consultancy on Wednesday predicted that China's steel demand could dip in 2022 from this year, but consumption from infrastructure construction, automobile and other sectors will continue to offer support.

Prices for battery-grade lithium carbonate in China have more than quadrupled this year.

Around 70% of all graphite comes from China, and there are few viable alternatives for batteries.

The world's biggest coal consumer produced 370.84 million tonnes of the dirty fossil fuel last month.

Greatpower has monthly capacity to make 3,000 tonnes of cobalt sulphate, a key ingredient in batteries for electric vehicles.

In 2020, BHP completed the first iron ore blockchain transaction, but this was the first transaction of its kind for copper concentrates.

Iron ore has been on a tumultuous ride this year.

"The iron ore port inventories build through recent weeks is a bearish signal," says Westpac senior economist.