Lithium carbonate prices in China declined to CNY 163,000 per tonne in June, the lowest level in nearly two months, as earlier price increases encouraged producers to restart mining operations. Mineral Resources will resume production at its Bald Hill lithium mine after an 18‑month shutdown, while Core Lithium has restarted its Finniss project, helping offset supply shortfalls elsewhere.
At the same time, Zimbabwe introduced export quotas on lithium concentrates and announced a full export ban starting next year. The government stated that exports of processed lithium will still be permitted, aiming to attract more investment into domestic refining and value‑added processing.
Recent data offered a mixed signal for electric vehicle demand. Sales of new energy vehicles in China fell 7.5% year-on-year in May to 950,000 units, although the segment’s market share rose to 62.9% over the same period. Even so, the medium‑term demand outlook remains supported by China’s investments in power infrastructure. This was underscored by Beijing’s pledge to double the country’s EV charging capacity to 180 gigawatts by 2027.
