Supply chain
Two resources can follow very different pathways. Product quality, recovery and local conditions matter at every stage.
01 / Resources
Lithium-bearing brines require site-specific concentration, impurity removal and chemical conversion. Conventional evaporation and direct lithium extraction are different approaches; neither should be assessed without its local water, energy and chemical balance.
02 / Resources
Spodumene ore is mined and concentrated before chemical conversion. Concentrate grade, recovery, transport and conversion performance determine how much qualified material reaches the customer.
Source 2 →03 / Conversion & qualification
| Material | Typical role | Questions to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Lithium carbonate | Common precursor for LFP cathodes and other lithium compounds | Impurities, particle properties, qualification process |
| Lithium hydroxide | Common precursor for higher-nickel cathodes | Product form, moisture handling, customer specification |
| Spodumene concentrate | Feedstock for conversion into lithium chemicals | Li₂O grade, moisture basis, recovery and logistics |
These are general uses, not universal chemistry rules. Supplier and customer specifications govern suitability. Source 2 →
04 / Circularity
Recycling can recover battery materials, but collection, chemistry, process yield and qualification all affect the usable result. Production scrap and end-of-life batteries have different availability profiles.
A closed-loop claim needs evidence of actual recovery and reintegration. The IEA outlook provides a broader scenario-based view of secondary supply. Source 1 →
Explore material requirements →A connected industry perspective