Lithium prices remain steady in the "comfort zone," and the lithium carbonate industry may face new changes

Ask AI · As industry competition shifts toward valuing resources above all, what new changes will it bring?

[With lithium prices holding steady in the “comfort zone,” the lithium carbonate industry may see new developments] Caixin News Service, April 1. According to a report, A-share lithium mining sector companies have successively released their 2025 annual reports with encouraging news one after another. The lithium carbonate industry, which had once fallen into a slump, has now sent a strong “recovery signal.” Leading companies such as Tianqi Lithium, Ganfeng Lithium, and Salt Lake Co., Ltd. have all delivered answers showing profit growth. The core driving force is that a surge in downstream energy-storage demand has stabilized and then lifted lithium carbonate prices. Our reporter’s review found that since 2026, domestic battery-grade lithium carbonate prices have remained stable at around 150k yuan per ton. Standing in this industry-wide recognized “comfort zone” price not only enables most lithium mining companies to achieve stable profitability, but also eases cost-related concerns in the energy-storage sector. From perspectives such as lithium carbonate inventories, the pace of supply growth, and downstream demand, industry generally believes that in 2026 the lithium carbonate market may take on a pattern of “tight balance all year, with structural mismatches by quarter,” and competition within the industry is shifting from “broad-based price increases and easy profits” to “resources first, winning on cost.” The two types of companies are expected to continue leading through the industry reshuffle. (Shanghai Securities News)