On April 27, 2026, Fujiang Energy Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Geely Technology Group, received approval from the Tonglu County Development and Reform Bureau for its "High Performance Energy Storage Sodium-Ion Battery Digital Production Line Project," with a total investment of 148.69 million yuan. The project focuses on commercial energy storage scenarios, leveraging AI-driven full-process data integration to build an intelligent sodium-ion battery cell system for energy storage, tailored to long duration energy storage (LDES) requirements. Fujiang Energy is a core enterprise in Geely's battery segment. The Tonglu base is expected to have 12 GWh of power battery capacity, with LFP production lines already in operation, supplying Geely Galaxy, Zeekr, and other car models. The approval of this sodium-ion battery production line marks Geely's official implementation of a "lithium battery + sodium-ion battery" dual-technology roadmap, enhancing the new energy industrial ecosystem in Tonglu and accelerating sodium-ion battery industrialisation and energy storage market penetration.

Latrobe Magnesium of Australia received a $2 million advance payment to accelerate its fly ash-to-magnesium demonstration project, with all products to be sold to the US market. Canada's West High Yield Resources signed a long-term sales agreement, marking a key step toward the commercialization of the Record Ridge magnesium mine. MG plans to mass-produce semi-solid-state battery car models by the end of 2026, and the application potential of magnesium materials in lightweight structures and battery components is expected to expand.

[SMM Magnesium Express] West High Yield signed a definitive forward sales agreement with Galaxy Trade and Technology for magnesium-rich serpentine ore from its Record Ridge project in British Columbia. The initial two-year term is extendable to nine years, with a unit price of US$500 per metric tonne. Weekly deliveries during production months are expected to range from 6,600 to 7,700 tonnes, representing potential annual revenue exceeding US$30 million. Galaxy has placed a US$5 million deposit in trust for initial ore deliveries.

This month, Rio Tinto stated during its earnings conference call that with all its owned projects progressing as planned, the company's lithium production capacity is expected to reach 200,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) annually by 2028. The increase will primarily stem from the Fenix project, the expansion of Sal de Vida, and the commissioning of the Rincon and Nemaska projects. By that time, total output will exceed three times the 57,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate production achieved in 2025. Rio Tinto previously announced its entry into the ranks of major lithium producers upon acquiring Arcadium, with plans to increase capacity to over 200,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) annually by 2028. The company has now confirmed its focus on achieving this target, positioning lithium as a “significant” component within its business structure. Expansion Projects: The mechanical portion of the 10,000-ton-per-year expansion at Fenix, one of the Argentine salt lake projects, has been completed, with commissioning progress reaching 60%. The mechanical vapor recompression unit has been put into operation to support the planned first production run. The first production from the expanded capacity remains on track to commence in the second half of 2026. At the new Sal de Vida project in Argentina, with an annual capacity of 15,000 metric tons, the mechanical works have been completed and commissioning is 40% complete. Production is expected to commence in the second half of 2026, projected to increase Rio Tinto's lithium output to 61,000–64,000 metric tons LCE in 2026. Regarding future projects: The Rincon project in Argentina, with an annual capacity of 60,000 metric tons, is progressing smoothly with its initial 3,000-metric-ton-per-year plant. It is expected to reach full capacity by year-end. The 57,000-metric-ton expansion plant has completed commissioning and is currently being started up, with first production planned for 2028. It will reach full production after a three-year ramp-up period. The mine has an estimated 40-year lifespan, with operating costs positioned in the top quartile of the industry cost curve. The Nemaska project in Canada features an integrated lithium hydroxide production line with a designed capacity of 28,000 metric tons per year. The mine's engineering design is complete, with construction progress at 60%. The lithium hydroxide refinery is scheduled to commence commissioning in 2026 and achieve first production in 2028. For the Whabouchi and Galaxy mines, strategic business and capital discipline reviews are underway with Canadian partners to determine the development of one of these mines. A decision is expected in the first half of 2026 to secure an integrated spodumene supply solution for the lithium hydroxide plant by 2028. In Chile, Rio Tinto anticipates closing agreements signed with state-owned mining companies Codelco and Enami in the first half of 2026. Rio Tinto has been selected as the private partner to develop Chile's two largest undeveloped lithium resources, with projects advancing upon agreement completion.

Samsung Electronics has directly addressed the development status of its next-generation silicon-carbon (Si-C) battery technology. At the launch event for the Galaxy S26, a company vice president stated that Samsung is actively developing silicon-carbon batteries, but added that the technology will only be adopted after passing stringent internal testing and demonstrating sufficient improvements in user experience.

On February 19, Galaxy Power Aerospace officially announced that its self-developed aerospace-grade solid-state battery, carried on a commercial satellite, successfully completed its first on-orbit verification mission. It is reported that the solid-state battery verified by Galaxy Power uses a self-developed oxide solid-state electrolyte. The product's energy density reaches 380Wh/kg, a 40% improvement compared to traditional aerospace lithium batteries, with a 60% increase in power supply duration. It achieves an ultra-wide temperature adaptation range from -50°C to 80°C, perfectly covering the temperature fluctuation range during the on-orbit operation of commercial satellites.