Since this year, the new energy vehicle market has ushered in explosive growth. As the main raw material of new energy vehicle power battery, the price of battery grade lithium carbonate has staged a “three-level jump” in one year, with an increase of nearly 30% in this month alone. What is the current supply and demand situation of lithium carbonate Market?
lithium carbonate prices rose by nearly 30% in the month, and enterprises accelerated the preparation of goods
In a lithium carbonate enterprise in Qinghai, Zhu Hongwei, the person in charge, is arranging goods according to the purchase order. At present, there are only 300 tons of lithium carbonate in the warehouse, and the inventory is less than one fifth of that of last year. The 300 tons were booked as early as last month. Near the end of the year, the downstream stock mood is strong. The price of has increased significantly in recent January, with an increase of one or two thousand yuan per ton almost every two weeks. despite rising again and again, downstream processing plants are more enthusiastic than expected to grab goods in order to meet the operating rate and terminal delivery.
Zhu Hongwei, deputy general manager of production of Golmud Zanger Lithium Industry Co., Ltd.: according to the latest external quotation, it is about 250000 yuan / ton, which is still in short supply. There are many people queuing to buy, but they can’t buy it now.
In another lithium carbonate production workshop, Zhang Chengsheng, the person in charge, told reporters that the company’s new production line began trial production in May this year, releasing some production capacity. At present, it has increased the production of about 10000 tons for the enterprise. However, with the growth of new downstream projects exceeding expectations, the current supply growth of the industry is far from meeting the market demand .
the reporter found that lithium carbonate has ushered in three waves of rise since this year. in the first three months of the year, battery grade lithium carbonate increased from 50000 yuan / ton to 86000 yuan / ton. After four months of consolidation, the second round of rise was started in August of the second half of the year, from 86000 yuan / ton to 180000 yuan / ton. entered December. From the breakthrough of 200000 yuan / ton at the beginning of the month to more than 270000 yuan / ton at present, the quotation has been close to 300000 yuan / ton, with an increase of more than 30% within the month. The year-on-year increase of is more than 400%, and the price has set a new record.
capacity constraints, rising costs, lithium battery manufacturers under pressure
The demand for lithium carbonate is strong and the price is rising all the way. What impact does this have on downstream lithium battery manufacturers? How long will the tight supply of lithium carbonate last?
A battery manufacturer in Lujiang, Anhui Province is producing a lithium iron phosphate round battery on the production line. According to the person in charge, in the first half of the year, the shipment volume of this battery pack was up to 2000 sets per month, and the monthly order demand exceeded tens of thousands in the second half of the year. subject to the supply of raw materials, the current production capacity has only played 80%.
On the one hand, the output can not keep up, on the other hand, the pressure on battery cost is also increasing. Li Yu, deputy general manager of GuoXuan new energy Lujiang Co., Ltd., told reporters that at present, the average price of power lithium iron phosphate has increased from 39000 yuan / ton at the beginning of the year to about 99000 yuan / ton in the near future, which has also driven relevant battery cathode material enterprises to raise their quotations.
Li Yu, deputy general manager of GuoXuan new energy Lujiang Co., Ltd.: the whole raw material cost has increased by at least 50%.
The industry expects that the lithium carbonate market will remain tight in supply for some time in the future, but it is expected to ease up by the second half of next year with the continuous production of new capacity.
salt lake lithium extraction enters the “fast lane” and enterprises start the global “mine hoarding” model
At present, lithium carbonate extraction mainly comes from lithium ore and salt lake lithium resources. With the rise of overseas ore prices and tight supply, salt lake lithium extraction has gradually attracted attention. against the background of rising prices and accelerating demand, enterprises have arranged lithium salt projects one after another, opening the global “ore hoarding” model.
The largest salt lake in China is located in Chaerhan Salt Lake in Qaidam Basin, Qinghai. The lithium chloride reserves here rank first in China. It is estimated that the total output of lithium carbonate in Chaerhan lake will increase by more than 60% year-on-year in 2021.
China’s salt lakes are mainly concentrated in Qinghai and Tibet. Before 2020, part of the lithium carbonate produced in Salt Lake will be used in energy storage batteries, not in new energy vehicle batteries on a large scale, but “insulated” from medium and high-end new energy vehicles. However, the new salt lake lithium extraction project generally adopts nanofiltration membrane technology, which greatly improves the quality and efficiency of lithium extraction. At present, the lithium extraction per ton of brine is increased by about 30%.
Zhang Shengshun, general manager of Golmud zangge Lithium Industry Co., Ltd.: the cost of salt lake is generally controlled within 30000 yuan per ton, and the cost will be lower and lower.
since this year, the global competition for lithium resources, including salt lakes, has also become the focus of the industrial chain. Relevant enterprises have opened the global “mine hoarding” model. According to incomplete statistics, the total amount involved is more than 40 billion yuan. The reporter learned that according to the latest report of the state geological and mineral survey this year, the global lithium ore converted into lithium carbonate is 128 million tons, which can be used for more than 200 years according to the current world demand of 500000 tons per year. Experts said that it is a natural phenomenon for enterprises to hoard minerals to ensure production and supply, but they should avoid vicious competition and raise prices.
Zhu Yuhua, member of the National Advisory Committee of experts on the development of new materials industry: the lithium reserves in China’s geological exploration increase by 10% every year. After the lithium battery stock is large, we have to recycle it. Therefore, there should be no great need to worry about lithium resources. If many enterprises push back the cost of lithium ore according to the current price, There are still some risks.
(China Central Television Finance)
