Lithium Ore (Spodumene)
Spodumene is the most important hard-rock lithium mineral, containing up to 8% Li2O. It is converted into lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate for use in electric vehicle batteries and energy storage. Australian spodumene concentrates (SC6, ~6% Li2O) dominate seaborne trade.
- SC6 (6% Li2O)
- SC5.5
- Technical Grade
- Chemical Grade
- FOB
- CIF
- CFR
Lithium Ore (Spodumene), in brief.
- Common origins
- Australia
- Brazil
- Zimbabwe
- Canada
- Portugal
- Common destinations
- China
- South Korea
- Japan
- United States
- Europe
- Grades and specifications
- SC6 (6% Li2O)
- SC5.5
- Technical Grade
- Chemical Grade
- Incoterms
- FOB
- CIF
- CFR
- Unit of measure
- Dry Metric Tons
What moves Lithium Ore (Spodumene) pricing
Spodumene 6% Li2O is the dominant hard-rock lithium feedstock, priced FOB Australia. Prices collapsed 80% from late 2022 peak through 2024 as supply caught up; the SC6 benchmark assesses weekly via Fastmarkets and Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. Demand is almost entirely battery-driven: EV adoption rate, grid storage deployment, and Chinese cathode mill utilization. The spodumene-to-carbonate-to-cathode chain has 4-6 month lag, which causes whip-saw price moves.
How Lithium Ore (Spodumene) cargoes are priced and settled
Cargoes are 5,000-30,000 tonnes panamax or capesize. Pricing has shifted away from quarterly fixed contracts toward index-linked formulas (M-1 or M-1/M average against SC6 CIF China). Lithium content payability is contractual: typically 95-98% of the contained lithium at LME or industry-quoted Li2O pricing, less converter charges.
Lithium Ore (Spodumene) specifications and dispute practice
Specs cover Li2O grade (5.5-6.0% chemical-grade), iron oxide (Fe2O3 max), and physical form. Disputes commonly involve actual delivered Li2O versus contract minimum, with payable formula adjustments. Mica and feldspar contamination can downgrade material from chemical-grade to ceramic-grade pricing: a $400-600/tonne hit.
Where Lithium Ore (Spodumene) comes from and where it goes
Australia (Pilbara, Greenbushes, Wodgina, Mt Marion, Mt Cattlin) supplies over half of global spodumene, almost entirely shipped to Chinese converters. Brazil (Sigma, AMG), Canada (Sayona, NAL), and Zimbabwe are growing. Africa is the swing volume. China remains the dominant converter; US Inflation Reduction Act is incentivizing North American conversion capacity but slowly.
Who trades Lithium Ore (Spodumene)?
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Related market pages.
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