Mine Events · Export Controls · Battery Inventory · EV & Gigafactory News · Offtake Deals
SUPPLY
Lithium
▲ Bullish
CATL Jianxiawo Mine EIA Revoked, Production Delayed
CATL's Jianxiawo lepidolite mine, China's largest by capacity, has had its Environmental Impact Assessment revoked after a brief restart in July, returning it to care and maintenance. Benchmark has slashed its 2026 output forecast nearly in half to 32,000 tonnes LCE. Any restart now hinges on a new environmental review that could extend into Q4 2026 or 2027, tightening near-term supply.
SUPPLY
Cobalt
▲ Bullish
DRC Cobalt Exporters Risk Losing Quotas Over Administrative Glitch
Major cobalt producers in the DRC face potential loss of first-half export quotas due to a customs platform blockage and missed July 5 deadline for utilization. Up to 20,000 metric tonnes valued at $1.1 billion could be affected under the annual 96,600-tonne quota regime. The issue stems from lack of formal notification authorizing quota processing.
POLICY
Rare Earths
▲ Bullish
China Export Curbs Trigger Up to 6,000% Price Spikes Outside China
China's export controls on battery metals and rare earths have caused dramatic ex-China price surges, including 6,000% for samarium, 598% for yttrium, and sharp rises for dysprosium and terbium. Western governments are responding with $439 million in funding and policy measures to build alternative supply chains amid risks to $6.5 trillion in downstream production.
PRICE
Gallium
▲ Bullish
IEA Report Highlights Gallium Price Divergence from Export Controls
The IEA's Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026 notes gallium prices in Europe are around five times higher than in China due to export restrictions and high supply concentration. Gallium ranks among materials with highest risk exposure alongside germanium, graphite, and cobalt. New controls have amplified price gaps and supply security concerns.
PRICE
Germanium
▲ Bullish
Germanium Prices Nearly Triple Outside China Amid Restrictions
Export controls have driven germanium prices in Europe to almost three times Chinese domestic levels, per the latest IEA outlook. Combined with similar divergences for gallium and heavy rare earths, this underscores immediate economic security challenges from concentrated supply and new Chinese measures on strategic minerals.
POLICY
Cobalt
▲ Bullish
IEA Flags Widening Cobalt Supply Gap from DRC Quotas
The IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026 projects the cobalt supply gap widening to over 25% by 2035 due to DRC export quotas reducing output from the top producer. This contrasts with narrowing gaps for copper and lithium as more projects advance, highlighting policy-driven tightening in cobalt markets.