https://newsletter.en.creamermedia.com
PROJECT|Refinery|Resources|supply-chain|Technology|Operations
PROJECT|Refinery|Resources|supply-chain|Technology|Operations
project|refinery|resources|supply chain|technology|operations

Miner Pilbara sees lithium demand rallying on China mine restart

20th February 2025

By: Bloomberg

  

Font size: - +

Australia’s largest pure-play lithium producer Pilbara Minerals said it sees demand recovering on the restart of a large mine and refinery in China, even as it reported a net loss in its half-year earnings.

Prices in lithium carbonate have fallen about 87% since peaking in 2022 and are down more than 22% compared with this time last year. That drove Pilbara Minerals to see a net loss of A$69-million ($44-million) in the six months ending December 31, it said in corporate filings on Thursday. Shares were largely unchanged at A$2.01.

The firm’s CEO Dale Henderson said prices and demand could soon recover as Contemporary Amperex Technology restarts its project in China. CATL is the world’s largest maker of electric vehicle batteries.

“The restart of that particular mine, I frankly see as a positive,” Henderson told Bloomberg TV in an interview on Thursday. “When we look in the rear view mirror and see this steady price decline over the last 18 months, that’s translated through to a number of curtailments.”

CATL’s restart is part of the commodities cycle and is likely a sign of supply chain tightness and a “sign of necessity", Henderson said. “Inevitably we think prices have to rise and for Pilbara, the stage is set to enjoy that price rally.”

The hard rock miner currently produces lithium from its Pilgangoora mine in Australia’s north, which is ramping up production. It was forced to temporarily shut one of its processing plants in the six months to December 31 as low prices squeezed margins.

Pilbara Minerals has increased sales from its operations and acquired Latin Resources, which holds undeveloped lithium mines in Brazil.

Henderson said while all the company’s assets are currently in spodumene, a mineral source of lithium, he has not ruled out expanding into lithium brine.

“It’s certainly on the cards,” he said. “If we were to explore it, we probably would do it in a small way given its not in our core competence.”

Edited by Bloomberg

Comments

Showroom

Flameblock
Flameblock

FlameBlock is a proudly South African company that engineers, manufactures and supplies fire intumescent and retardant products to the fire...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Werner South Africa Pumps & Equipment (PTY) LTD
Werner South Africa Pumps & Equipment (PTY) LTD

For over 30 years, Werner South Africa Pumps & Equipment (PTY) LTD has been designing, manufacturing, supplying and maintaining specialist...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Magazine round up | 21 February 2025
Magazine round up | 21 February 2025
21st February 2025

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.061 0.15s - 169pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now