Wu Kuang Qi Huo·2025-11-21 01:04Report Summary Investment Rating The report does not mention the industry investment rating. Core Viewpoints In Q3 2025, the supply of mainstream mines in Australia was stable, and the lithium shipments in South America increased quarter-on-quarter. In Q4, it is the peak production season for downstream industries, and the overseas lithium mine production capacity is ramping up. It is expected that the production and sales will maintain an upward trend [1][3][11]. Summary by Company Australia - Overall in Australia: In Q3 2025, the supply of mainstream mines was stable. The lithium concentrate production increased by about 1.8% year-on-year and 9.1% quarter-on-quarter, while the sales volume decreased slightly by 0.7% year-on-year and was nearly flat quarter-on-quarter. In Q4, with the commissioning of the CGP3 project at Greenbushes and the production capacity ramping up at Pilbara, it is expected that the production and sales will maintain an upward trend [3]. - Greenbushes: In Q3 2025, it produced 320,000 tons of lithium concentrate, a 6% quarter-on-quarter and 21% year-on-year decrease. The sales volume was 301,000 tons, a 27% quarter-on-quarter and 23% year-on-year decrease. The average selling price was $730/ton (FOB), a 1% quarter-on-quarter increase. The cash production cost increased by 6% quarter-on-quarter to A$388/ton, a 40% year-on-year increase. The Kwinana lithium hydroxide plant produced 2,775 tons of lithium hydroxide in Q3 2025, a 31% quarter-on-quarter and 85% year-on-year increase, and the sales volume was 2,921 tons, a 68% quarter-on-quarter increase. The CGP3 is expected to start commissioning at the end of 2025, increasing the annual production capacity by 520,000 tons to 2.14 million tons of lithium concentrate per year [4]. - Pilbara: In Q3 2025, it produced 225,000 tons of lithium concentrate (SC5.3), a 2% year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter increase. The sales volume was 214,000 tons, a 1% quarter-on-quarter decrease and almost flat year-on-year. The average selling price was $742/ton (SC5.3, CIF China), a 24% quarter-on-quarter increase. The unit operating cost was $422/ton, a 9% quarter-on-quarter and 12% year-on-year decrease. The Ngungaju factory is under maintenance and can be quickly restarted when the market recovers. The feasibility study of the P2000 expansion is in progress, and the results are expected to be announced in FY2027. The midstream demonstration plant in Australia is under construction as planned and is expected to be completed in Q4. In Q3, the two production lines of the joint-venture lithium salt plant in South Korea produced 2,773 and 2,040 tons of lithium hydroxide respectively, and the sales volumes were 3,245 and 1,593 tons [5]. - Mt Marion: In Q3 2025, the total production of lithium concentrate was 146,000 tons, a 18% quarter-on-quarter and 7% year-on-year increase. The shipment volume of spodumene concentrate was 142,000 tons (SC4.6), a 4% quarter-on-quarter increase and a 36% year-on-year decrease (110,000 tons in terms of SC6, a 2% quarter-on-quarter increase and a 27% year-on-year decrease). The selling price in Q3 was $797/ton (SC6), a 31% quarter-on-quarter increase and a 2% year-on-year decrease. The cost in this quarter was A$796/ton (SC6, FOB), a 11% quarter-on-quarter increase and a 22% year-on-year decrease [6]. - Wodgina: In Q3 2025, it produced 176,000 tons of lithium concentrate, a 6% quarter-on-quarter and 73% year-on-year increase. The sales volume was 194,000 tons, a 45% quarter-on-quarter and 111% year-on-year increase (176,000 tons in terms of SC6, a 44% quarter-on-quarter and 110% year-on-year increase). The unit selling price was $881/ton (SC6), a 31% quarter-on-quarter and 5% year-on-year increase. The corresponding unit cost was A$733/ton, a 14% quarter-on-quarter increase and a 40% year-on-year decrease [7]. - Kathleen Valley: In Q3 2025, the production of lithium concentrate was 87,172 tons, a 1% quarter-on-quarter increase. The sales volume was 77,474 tons, a 20% quarter-on-quarter decrease. The inventory increased by 89% quarter-on-quarter to 20,912 tons. The average selling price was $700/ton (SC6), a 5% quarter-on-quarter decrease. The corresponding unit operating cost was $715/ton (FOB, SC6), a 24% quarter-on-quarter increase. The all-in sustaining cost (AISC) was $886/ton, a 13% quarter-on-quarter increase [8]. - Mt Holland: SQM updated the full-year sales guidance for Holland in 2025 to about 20,000 tons of LCE (50% equity). The lithium salt sales volume in Q3 was 10,000 tons, a significant increase from 1,300 tons in the previous quarter [9]. South America - Overall in South America: In Q3 2025, the shipments of major lithium resources increased by 14% quarter-on-quarter. It is expected that in Q4, as the salt lakes emerge from the production off-season, combined with production capacity ramping up and the downstream peak season, the lithium salt shipments in South America are expected to show an upward trend. The 3Q lithium salt lake project of Zijin Mining was officially put into production in September [11]. - SQM: In Q3 2025, the lithium salt sales volume of the Chilean division was 62,900 tons, a 22.85% year-on-year and 18.45% quarter-on-quarter increase. The average selling price was $8,281/ton, a 15% year-on-year and 1% quarter-on-quarter decrease. The average cost was $6,050/ton, a 24% year-on-year and 15% quarter-on-quarter decrease [12]. - Arcadium Lithium Salt Lake Project: The total quarterly production of the group's lithium resources was about 13,000 tons of LCE, a 3% quarter-on-quarter increase. The annual maintenance plan of the Fenix factory was adjusted from June to August, affecting the lithium carbonate production in this quarter, and the maintenance has been completed [13]. - Caucharí-Olaroz: In Q3 2025, the production was 8,300 tons, a 2% quarter-on-quarter decrease. The total production of lithium carbonate in the first three quarters of 2025 was about 24,000 tons, making the project likely to exceed the lower limit of the 2025 production guidance (30,000 - 35,000 tons). The total shipment volume of lithium carbonate in Q3 2025 was about 7,775 tons, a 10% quarter-on-quarter decrease, and the selling price was $7,522/ton. The second-phase expansion project with a production capacity of 45,000 tons/year of lithium carbonate is in progress, and the design of the 5,000-ton demonstration plant is being carried out in China [14]. - Centenario-Ratones: The production in Q3 was about 2,080 tons of LCE, a significant increase from 440 tons and 270 tons in the previous two quarters. The lithium sales volume in the quarter was 1,000 tons of LCE, compared with 480 tons in the previous quarter. In September, the capacity utilization rate of the factory reached 50% of the铭牌 capacity, in line with the production ramping-up expectations. Eramet expects the production of this salt lake in 2025 to be 4,000 - 7,000 tons [15]. - Zijin 3Q: On September 12, the commissioning ceremony of the 20,000-ton/year lithium carbonate project of Zijin Mining's Lithium Technology 3Q lithium salt lake was held. The pre - work such as the permit approval for the second-phase project is progressing in an orderly manner, with a planned lithium carbonate production capacity of 40,000 tons/year. After the full operation of the two phases, the annual production capacity is expected to reach 60,000 - 80,000 tons [16][17]. Others - Grota do Cirilo: In Q3 2025, affected by the change of equipment suppliers, the lithium concentrate production was 44,000 tons, a 27% year-on-year and 36% quarter-on-quarter decrease. The mine operation is expected to resume at the end of November, and the production capacity will be fully increased to 300,000 tons/year in Q1 2026. The sales volume was 49,000 tons, a 15% year-on-year decrease and a 21% quarter-on-quarter increase. The average selling price was $586/ton, a 61% year-on-year and 40% quarter-on-quarter increase. The cash operating cost (CIF China, including royalties) was $543/ton, a 6% year-on-year and 23% quarter-on-quarter increase. The second-phase expansion project is continuing, and the earthwork and terrace construction were completed this quarter. The second-phase project will add an annual capacity of 250,000 tons of lithium concentrate, and the total annual capacity of the mine will reach 520,000 tons. The commissioning of the second-phase project is postponed to before the end of 2026 [17]. - AMG: In Q3 2025, it sold 15,409 tons of lithium concentrate, a 16% quarter-on-quarter increase and a 32% year-on-year decrease. The unit selling price was $530/ton (CIF, China), a 15% quarter-on-quarter and 39% year-on-year decrease. The corresponding cost was $420/ton, a 14% quarter-on-quarter and 7% year-on-year decrease. One of the company's expansion project equipment has been malfunctioning since Q2, and the current operating capacity is 110,000 tons/year [18]. - Africa: The new projects are ramping up production smoothly. The first batch of ores from Ganfeng Lithium's Goulamina spodumene project in Mali arrived at domestic ports in early August. Hainan Mining's Bougouni lithium mine project in Mali obtained an export license from the Malian government and is expected to depart from Africa in Q4. The projects in Zimbabwe and Nigeria have benefited from the recovery of lithium prices and the increase in domestic imports. The main future supply increment in Africa is the northeastern project of Zijin Mining's Manono, with the first-phase project planning an annual production of 95,170 tons of crude lithium sulfate (about 50,000 tons of LCE), and it is planned to be put into production in the first half of 2026 [19].