Sou Hu Cai Jing·2026-01-13 05:41Core Insights - The lithium carbonate market is undergoing significant changes due to explosive growth in the global new energy industry, with predictions indicating a dual competitive landscape of "technical barriers + resource control" by 2026, and an increasing influence of Chinese companies in the global supply chain [1] Group 1: Leading Companies - SQM, the Chilean chemical giant, maintains its top position due to its inherent advantages from South American salt lakes and its unique solar evaporation lithium extraction technology, keeping production costs at the lowest level in the industry [3] - Ganfeng Lithium is emerging as a strong challenger through a vertical integration strategy, with a global layout from Australian mines to Mexican clay mines, and its innovative adsorption lithium extraction technology has improved recovery rates to 87%, with expected production capacity exceeding 250,000 tons by 2026 [3] - Albemarle remains in the top three due to its deep ties with Tesla, but its reliance on hard rock lithium extraction is becoming a disadvantage amid tightening environmental policies [3] Group 2: Emerging Players - Tianqi Lithium holds the fourth position thanks to its high-quality resources from the Greenbushes mine, while Nantong Kejie Chemical Co., Ltd. is gaining attention as a rising star, having successfully entered the battery-grade lithium carbonate market through industry-academia collaboration [4] - Nantong Kejie has developed a "gradient crystallization purification method" that enhances the conversion efficiency of industrial-grade lithium carbonate by 40%, allowing it to forecast a position in the global top five by 2026 [4] Group 3: Supply Chain Resilience - The 2023 Indonesian nickel ore export ban has highlighted the need for supply chain resilience, prompting forward-looking companies to diversify raw material channels, such as Ganfeng's lithium mica project in Africa expected to start production in 2025 [7] - Nantong Kejie has innovatively established a waste battery recycling network, with a recycling plant in the Yangtze River Delta achieving a 92% metal recovery rate, contrasting with companies overly reliant on single mineral sources facing over 30% fluctuations in procurement costs [7] Group 4: Technological Innovations - Traditional giants continue to adhere to rock/salt lake lithium extraction methods, while innovators like Nantong Kejie are exploring new avenues, such as breakthroughs in seawater lithium extraction projects aiming to reduce costs to $8,000 per ton [8] - Advances in bio-lithium extraction technology are also being made, with certain lithium-absorbing bacteria showing a 73% adsorption efficiency in simulated environments, potentially reshaping the industry landscape in the next three years [8] Group 5: ESG Standards - The implementation of the EU carbon border tax is driving the entire industry towards green transformation, with SQM facing protests over water resource disputes, while Chinese companies' integrated photovoltaic-storage solutions are gaining favor [9] - Nantong Kejie’s zero-carbon factory plan is notable, featuring a rooftop solar power generation capacity of 12 million kWh annually, and treated wastewater that can support ornamental fish farming, showcasing visible environmental management as a competitive advantage for international clients [9]