Lithium Product Specifications

Lithium Carbonate (Li₂CO₃)

Battery Grade (99.5% min)

• Li₂CO₃ Content: ≥99.5%
• Na: ≤150 ppm
• K: ≤20 ppm
• Ca: ≤50 ppm
• Mg: ≤50 ppm
• Fe: ≤5 ppm
• SO₄: ≤200 ppm
• Cl: ≤50 ppm
• H₂O: ≤0.5%
• Magnetic material: ≤50 ppb

Current Price Range (March 2026): $19,000-22,000/MT CIF Asia

Contract Size: Typically 10-500 MT per shipment

Packaging: 25kg bags, 1MT big bags, or bulk

Technical Grade (99.0% min)

• Li₂CO₃ Content: ≥99.0%
• Na: ≤300 ppm
• Fe: ≤20 ppm
• SO₄: ≤500 ppm

Current Price Range: $17,000-19,000/MT CIF Asia

Applications: Glass, ceramics, lubricants

Lithium Hydroxide Monohydrate (LiOH·H₂O)

Battery Grade (56.5% min LiOH)

• LiOH Content: ≥56.5%
• CO₂: ≤0.35%
• Na: ≤50 ppm
• K: ≤20 ppm
• Ca: ≤50 ppm
• Fe: ≤5 ppm
• SO₄: ≤50 ppm
• Cl: ≤50 ppm
• Magnetic material: ≤50 ppb

Current Price Range: $20,000-24,000/MT CIF Asia

Premium over carbonate: Typically $1,000-3,000/MT

Key Applications: NMC811 and NCA cathodes for high-energy density batteries

Spodumene Concentrate

SC6.0 (6.0% Li₂O min)

• Li₂O Content: 6.0% minimum
• Fe₂O₃: ≤1.2%
• Moisture: ≤1%
• Size: -10mm typical

Current Price Range: $2,000-2,300/MT CIF China

Major Sources: Australia (Pilbara, Greenbushes), Zimbabwe, Canada

SC5.5 (5.5% Li₂O min)

• Li₂O Content: 5.5% minimum
• Typical discount: $100-200/MT below SC6.0

Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) Products

Lithium Chloride Solution

• LiCl Concentration: 6-8%
• Mg/Li Ratio: <0.1
• Recovery Rate: >90%

Processing: Converted to carbonate or hydroxide at refinery

Pricing Mechanisms

Spot Market

• Immediate delivery (within 30 days)
• Published by: Fastmarkets, Benchmark Minerals, Asian Metal
• Assessment frequency: Weekly or bi-weekly
• Typical lot size: 10-100 MT

Contract Pricing

• Formula-based: Linked to spot indices with floors/ceilings
• Fixed price: Quarterly or annual negotiations
• Hybrid: Base price plus market adjustment factor
• Typical terms: 1-3 year contracts with volume commitments

Quality Premiums/Discounts

• Ultra-low sodium (<30ppm): +$500-1,000/MT
• Micronized product: +$300-500/MT
• Off-spec material: -$1,000-3,000/MT

Conversion Factors

• 1 MT Li₂CO₃ = 0.188 MT Li metal
• 1 MT LiOH·H₂O = 0.165 MT Li metal
• 1 MT SC6.0 = 0.128 MT Li₂CO₃ (theoretical)
• Typical recovery rate spodumene to carbonate: 75-80%

Shipping & Logistics

Container Specifications

• 20' container: 20-25 MT lithium carbonate
• 40' container: 25-27 MT lithium carbonate
• Bulk vessel: 3,000-30,000 MT spodumene concentrate

Incoterms

• CIF China/Japan/Korea: Most common for Asian buyers
• FOB Australia/Chile: Common for spodumene/brine products
• DDP Europe/USA: Growing for battery-grade materials

Quality Testing Standards

• ISO 11088: Lithium carbonate specifications
• GB/T 11075-2013: Chinese national standard
• ICP-OES/ICP-MS: Trace element analysis
• XRD: Crystal structure verification
• Particle size: D50 typically 3-15 μm for battery grade

Market Delivery Points

Major Trading Hubs

• China: Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou
• Japan: Tokyo, Osaka
• South Korea: Busan, Ulsan
• Europe: Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg
• USA: Houston, Long Beach, Charleston