Lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) is the most widely traded lithium chemical and the benchmark most people mean by “the lithium price”. It is the main lithium source for LFP batteries, which now dominate energy storage and a large share of electric vehicles.
Lithium carbonate price: recent levels
| Benchmark | Level | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| China lithium carbonate (CNY/t) | 122,800 | 30 Sep 2026 | Trading Economics |
| China battery-grade spot (CNY/t) | 142,800 (from ~159,300 at end-Aug) | 8 Sep 2026 | BigGo Finance |
| Battery grade, CIF Asia (US$/t) | 19,750 (−0.8% w/w) | 2 Sep 2026 | Benchmark |
| Battery grade (US$/t) | 18,160 | 10 Aug 2026 | Benchmark |
| GFEX futures, 2026 high (CNY/t) | Above 200,000 (about 210,000) | Mid-May 2026 | Market reports |
| US contract annual average (US$/t) | 9,000 | 2025 | USGS |
What moved lithium carbonate in 2026
- Demand: the IEA reports more than 20 million electric cars sold in 2025 (a quarter of all new cars) and expects about 23 million in 2026; grid batteries, mostly LFP, are the fastest-growing use.
- Supply disruptions in China: the suspension of CATL’s Jianxiawo lepidolite mine in Jiangxi from August 2025 removed a meaningful slice of Chinese supply and kicked off the rally.
- Restarts: higher prices brought idled capacity back, including Mineral Resources’ Bald Hill and Core Lithium’s Finniss in Australia, which weighed on prices in September 2026.
- Inventory data: Shanghai Metals Market revised its lithium carbonate inventory methodology on 3–4 September 2026, lifting reported stocks from just over 70,000 t to 169,300 t and triggering a sharp sell-off in futures.
How lithium carbonate is priced
China domestic prices are in yuan per tonne, ex-works, including 13% VAT. Seaborne prices are in US dollars per tonne, CIF China, Japan and Korea (CJK). Long-term supply contracts increasingly reference monthly averages of these assessments rather than fixed prices. Futures: GFEX lithium carbonate and CME contracts.
Specification
Battery grade: Li2CO3 ≥ 99.5% with ppm-level impurity limits (China’s industry standard YS/T 582 is widely used). Lithium content: 18.8%. Details: lithium specifications.
Lithium is not traded on a single public exchange like gold or oil. The figures on this site are dated reference points from the publishers named in each source list; they are not live quotes and are not investment advice. Paid price-reporting agencies (Fastmarkets, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, S&P Global Platts, SMM) publish the assessments the industry actually trades on.
Frequently asked questions
What is the lithium carbonate price today?
Recent reference levels: 122,800 yuan per tonne for China lithium carbonate on 30 September 2026 (Trading Economics) and US$19,750 per tonne for battery-grade lithium carbonate CIF Asia on 2 September 2026 (Benchmark Mineral Intelligence).
Where is lithium carbonate traded?
Most physical lithium carbonate is sold under contracts priced off assessments by Fastmarkets, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, S&P Global Platts or SMM. The most liquid exchange contract is lithium carbonate futures on the Guangzhou Futures Exchange (GFEX), launched on 21 July 2023 and opened to overseas traders on 4 July 2026.
What is battery-grade lithium carbonate?
Battery-grade lithium carbonate is at least 99.5% Li2CO3 with tight limits on impurities such as sodium, iron, calcium, magnesium and sulfate. It is the main lithium input for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathodes. Technical-grade material (around 99% Li2CO3) is used in glass, ceramics and other industrial applications.
Sources
- Trading Economics, Lithium (China lithium carbonate, CNY/t) (value for 30 September 2026)
- BigGo Finance, “China’s Lithium Carbonate Futures Tumble Below 140,000 Yuan as Inventory Data Overhaul Triggers Repricing” (10 September 2026)
- Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, lithium prices page (assessment of 2 September 2026)
- Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, “Lithium Price Watch: What the Forward Curve Is Telling Buyers Now” (prices as of 10 August 2026)
- USGS, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Lithium (February 2026)
- IEA, Global EV Outlook 2026
- Global Times, “China opens lithium carbonate futures to overseas traders” (3 July 2026)
- Orient Futures Singapore, “GFEX Launches New Lithium Carbonate Futures” (launch contract specifications, July 2023)