Author: Daniel Whitmore

CATL has officially resumed production at its Jianxiawo lithium mine in Yichun, Jiangxi, after obtaining the final regulatory approval required for operations, according to Securities Daily and Economic Information Daily. The restart returns one of China’s largest lithium sources to production and is expected to increase supply in an already oversupplied lithium market. Production Resumes After Final Approval The company received the mine’s safety production permit on June 29, clearing the final regulatory requirement before operations could restart. According to Securities Daily, citing unnamed sources, production officially resumed on the evening of June 29. The Jianxiawo mine is one of…

Rio Tinto expects its lithium division to become the fastest-growing part of its business over the next several years as the mining company accelerates investments to meet rising demand from the electric vehicle and energy storage industries. Speaking during the Fastmarkets Global Lithium conference in Las Vegas, Jérôme Pécresse, head of Rio Tinto’s aluminium and lithium business, said the company plans to increase annual lithium production from at least 61,000 tonnes this year to around 200,000 tonnes of capacity by 2028, depending on market conditions. Lithium Becomes Strategic Growth Business Rio Tinto entered the global lithium market through its acquisition…

Energy Fuels has agreed to acquire German magnet manufacturer Vacuumschmelze (VAC) in a transaction valued at approximately $1.9 billion, creating a company with operations spanning rare earth mining, processing, metals production and magnet manufacturing. The acquisition is expected to strengthen Energy Fuels’ position in the global critical minerals sector as governments and industries seek to secure alternative supplies of rare earth materials used in a wide range of strategic technologies. Acquisition Creates Integrated Rare Earth Business Under the terms of the agreement, Energy Fuels will acquire VAC from Ara Partners through a combination of cash and newly issued shares. The…

Graphite One has awarded an engineering contract for its planned active anode materials (AAM) manufacturing facility in Conneaut, Ohio, advancing the project into the detailed execution phase. The company said the contract award follows continued development activities at the Ohio site and represents another step in its strategy to establish a domestic graphite supply chain in the United States. Phased Development Strategy Graphite One plans to develop the facility in multiple stages, beginning with production capacity of approximately 10,000 tonnes per year of active anode materials used in lithium-ion batteries. The company aims to expand the site to include 25,000…

Iluka Resources has signed its first rare earths offtake agreement, securing a binding multi-year supply contract with a global automotive manufacturer for magnet rare earth oxides from its Eneabba refinery in Western Australia. The take-or-pay agreement covers the supply of neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium and will commence in 2028, with an initial term of four years. First Rare Earths Customer Secured The contract represents approximately 10% of Iluka’s planned rare earth oxide production during the supply period, equivalent to around 1,200 tonnes of magnet rare earth oxides. The identity of the automotive customer has not been disclosed, with both…

Fuuse has appointed Roger Hunter as its new chief executive officer, with the electric vehicle charge point management system (CPMS) provider preparing for a leadership transition as founder Michael Gibson steps down later this year. Hunter will officially succeed Gibson on September 1 following a handover period. The appointment comes as Fuuse seeks to build on its growth in the UK’s electric vehicle charging market and expand its position as a provider of charge point management software. Industry Veteran Takes Leadership Role Hunter joins Fuuse with extensive experience across the electric vehicle charging and e-mobility sectors. Most recently, he served…

Solvay has signed a letter of intent with Viridis Mining and Minerals to secure a future supply of rare earth feedstocks from Brazil for processing at its La Rochelle facility in France, as Europe seeks to strengthen access to critical materials used in electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies. The companies said the agreement, which remains subject to a definitive contract, would begin supplying feedstocks by 2028. The arrangement covers key permanent magnet rare earth elements including neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium, which are widely used in electric vehicle motors, wind turbines and other advanced technologies. Partnership Aims to Diversify…

Syrah Resources has secured a temporary reprieve in its dispute with Tesla over a long-term graphite supply agreement, after the electric vehicle maker withdrew its notice to terminate the contract. The Australian resource company said Tesla now considers a previously alleged contractual default to have been resolved, following progress in the production and qualification of battery-grade graphite material at Syrah’s facility in Vidalia, Louisiana. The development relates to a binding offtake agreement signed in 2021 under which Syrah agreed to supply Tesla with 8,000 tonnes of active anode material annually over a four-year period. Default Notice Withdrawn Tesla first issued…

Dutch commodities trader Trafigura has signed a binding offtake agreement with Smackover Lithium to purchase battery-grade lithium carbonate from the South West Arkansas (SWA) Project in the United States. Under the deal, Trafigura will buy 8,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate annually from the project once production begins. The agreement runs for 10 years, covering a total of 80,000 tonnes of material. Smackover Lithium is a joint venture between Standard Lithium and Equinor. The project aims to extract lithium used in electric vehicle batteries from brine resources in the Smackover Formation in Arkansas. The geological formation, formed from remnants of an…

Italian charging infrastructure manufacturer Alpitronic has introduced a new generation of its high-power charging system, the HYC400 Series 2, focusing on improved usability and accessibility while maintaining the same maximum charging performance as its predecessor. The new charger retains a peak output of 400 kilowatts but introduces a redesigned interface and layout intended to improve the charging experience for electric vehicle drivers, particularly in public charging environments. See also: Ionity Launches First Megawatt Charging Sites Using Alpitronic HYC1000 A key change is the introduction of a larger front-facing display positioned lower on the unit. The screen size has increased from…

Rock Tech Lithium plans to use its lithium converter project in Guben as a model for a similar facility in Red Rock, developed in cooperation with Siemens. The two companies have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to establish a strategic partnership aimed at developing lithium conversion capacity using Siemens’ digitalisation technologies. Central to the collaboration is the use of Digital Twin technology, which will digitally replicate and optimise the design and operations of the planned plants. The lithium converter currently under construction in Guben is designed to produce 24,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium hydroxide annually. According to Rock Tech…

Ionity has begun deploying megawatt-class electric vehicle charging technology across its European network, commissioning its first Alpitronic HYC1000 systems at two locations in France. The fast-charging joint venture said six charging points have been installed at each site—Maison-Dieu in eastern France and Sorgues along the A7 motorway—bringing a total of 12 new high-power chargers into operation. The rollout follows testing at Ionity’s facility near Munich and comes after delays to the original late-2025 timeline. The HYC1000 system uses a central power cabinet capable of delivering up to 1,000 kW, which can be dynamically distributed among multiple vehicles or concentrated to…