Lithium Prices Continue to Fall
The price of lithium carbonate, a key ingredient for making batteries, has dropped to CNY 120,000 per tonne. This is the lowest price since August 2021. The reason for this price drop is that there is more lithium than people need. People are not buying as many electric vehicles (EVs) as expected in China, which is the biggest market for lithium batteries. Instead, battery makers are using up their existing stocks of lithium, which they bought when the Chinese government gave them a lot of subsidies in 2021 and 2022. Some experts now think that there will be enough lithium for everyone until 2028. This is a big change from the previous predictions that there would be a shortage of lithium soon. In November 2022, the price of lithium was as high as CNY 600,000 per tonne.
The situation is not much better in other countries. In the US, people are not buying many EVs either, because they have to pay more interest on their loans. This makes them less willing to spend money on big items like cars. Meanwhile, the production of lithium is still going strong. Mineral Resources, the second-largest producer of spodumene, a type of lithium ore, plans to double its output in Western Australia next year.
The Effect of Lithium Prices on the Economy
Lithium prices are an important indicator of the economic health of the battery and EV industries. They show how much demand and supply there is for lithium, and how much profit and cost there is for the producers and consumers of lithium. They also affect the employment, tax revenue, and business activity of these industries.
Therefore, the fall in lithium prices could have a negative impact on the economy. It could reduce the income and profits of the lithium miners and battery makers. It could also lower the tax revenue and the public spending of the governments that support these industries. It could also discourage the investment and the innovation of these industries.
However, the fall in lithium prices could also have some positive effects on the economy. It could encourage the consumers to save more and spend less. It could also motivate the lithium miners and battery makers to improve their efficiency and quality. It could also stimulate the diversification and the transformation of these industries.