First, multi-material indexation has become normal practice in domestic cell pricing. However, passing these costs through to project owners is far from smooth. Second, the adjustment cycle in overseas markets is shortening. Yet even a lithium-carbonate-only linkage faces resistance at the owner level. Third, cost pressure is concentrating heavily at the integration stage.

Recycling Industry Events This Week (April 4.27-4.30)

Recycling Industry Events This Week (April 4.20-4.24)

On April 24, Jiangsu Lopal Tech Co., Ltd. released its 2025 annual report. The report shows that the company achieved operating revenue of 8.938 billion yuan in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 16.42%; total profit was -224 million yuan. As of the end of 2025, the company's total assets reached 18.672 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 16.30%; net assets attributable to shareholders of the listed company were 2.828 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 10.79%. The company's lithium iron phosphate product shipments rank among the top in the industry. It has established long-term and stable cooperative relationships with major global lithium battery manufacturers such as CATL, LG Energy Solution, REPT BATTERO, EVE Energy, Sunwoda, and ChuNeng New Energy.

On the evening of April 3, Xingfa Group (600141) announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary company, Inner Mongolia Xingfa Technology Co., Ltd., plans to invest 1.381 billion yuan to build a 100,000-ton/year battery-grade lithium iron phosphate project in the Wuda Industrial Park, Economic Development Zone, Wuhai City, Inner Mongolia.

On April 8, the Lianyungang Ecological Environment Bureau released the acceptance public notice for the environmental impact report of the "Jiangsu Dejia Circular Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. Annual Resource Utilization of 50,000 Tons of Spent Lithium-Ion Battery Project." The project will construct one cascade utilization line and two recycling lines, achieving an annual resource utilization capacity of 50,000 tons of spent lithium-ion batteries, including ternary and spent lithium iron phosphate batteries. About 60% of the recovered waste batteries meet cascade utilization requirements, with the remainder entering recycling. Final production capacity:

The project is named "Jiangxi Longkai Circular Technology Co., Ltd. Retired Lithium Battery Comprehensive Recycling and Cascade Regeneration Project." It is a new construction project, with four processing systems: a spent lithium battery cascade utilization and pretreatment system (including 2 lines for spent ternary lithium battery cascade utilization and pretreatment, and 4 lines for spent lithium iron phosphate battery cascade utilization and pretreatment), a spent ternary lithium battery powder comprehensive recovery system, a spent lithium iron phosphate battery powder comprehensive recovery system, and a lithium carbonate production system.

On April 9, the Ecological Environment Bureau of Ji'an City released the proposed acceptance public notice for the environmental impact report of the "Jiangxi Woquan Energy Technology Co., Ltd. Comprehensive Utilization of Spent Power Lithium-Ion Batteries and Silicon-Carbon Anode Material Manufacturing Project." The project mainly includes battery recycling and silicon-carbon anode material production. The battery recycling part will comprehensively utilize 120,000 tons of spent power lithium-ion batteries annually (40,000 tons of ternary lithium batteries, 80,000 tons of lithium iron phosphate batteries), and the silicon-carbon anode material part will produce 10,000 tons of silicon-carbon anode materials annually.

Jiangsu Lopal Tech Co., Ltd., through its overseas wholly-owned subsidiary Lopal Tech Perth Pty Ltd (hereinafter referred to as "Lopal Perth") and Global Lithium Resources Limited ("GL1") and MB Lithium Pty Ltd ("MB Lithium", together with "GL1", the "Sellers"), signed the "Tenements and Mineral Rights Sale Agreement". The subject matter of this transaction is the sellers' collectively held exploration tenements for five lithium mines in Western Australia, as well as the lithium mineral rights for another 11 mining areas. The transaction involves lithium exploration tenements located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, approximately 150 km southeast of Port Hedland. Since acquiring the mineral rights in 2019, GL1 has continuously carried out exploration work on one of the core tenements, E45/4309, completing a total of 734 reverse circulation drill holes and 7 diamond drill holes, with drilling footage exceeding 102.5 km. According to the "Marble Bar Lithium Project Mineral Resource Estimate Report" prepared in 2022 in accordance with the JORC Code, the project has an ore resource of 18 million tonnes with an average lithium oxide grade of 1.0%. Based on relevant data, the mining area still has good exploration potential. The Company engaged a professional team from SRK Consulting (Hong Kong) Limited ("SRK") in December 2025 to conduct an on-site field inspection of the mining area and carry out due diligence regarding the geological conditions, resource estimation and exploration prospects. At the same time, the Company also engaged Australian law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer in December 2025 to provide legal services including due diligence for the project. Pursuant to the agreement, Lopal Tech Perth Pty Ltd acquired the lithium exploration tenements and related assets held by Global Lithium Resources Limited and MB Lithium Pty Ltd in Australia for a consideration of AUD 14.85 million. The lithium mining project will subsequently require exploration, mining licence application, beneficiation and mining capacity construction, with an expected investment of over USD 200 million and a construction and production ramp-up period of approximately 2–3 years. Through its overseas wholly-owned subsidiary Lopal Perth, the Company signed the "Tenements and Mineral Rights Sale Agreement" with the counterparties GL1 and MB Lithium, acquiring the lithium exploration tenements and related assets held by them in Australia, with the transaction amount being AUD 14.85 million. 1. Counterparties (i) Counterparty 1 Name: Global Lithium Resources Limited Registered Address: Level 1, 16 Ventnor Avenue, West Perth WA 6005 Date of Establishment: May 11, 2018 Major Shareholders: As of April 20, 2026, MINERAL RESOURCES LIMITED holds 9.85%, CANMAX TECHNOLOGIES CO LTD holds 9.45%, SINCERITY DEVELOPMENT PTY LTD holds 7.49%, YONGFANG GUO holds 6.23%, DIANMIN CHEN holds 5.32% Principal Business: GL1 is a lithium resource exploration and development company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, primarily engaged in the exploration, development and future production of hard-rock lithium resources. (ii) Counterparty 2 Name: MB Lithium Pty Ltd Registered Address: Level 1, 16 Ventnor Avenue, West Perth WA 6005 Date of Establishment: June 10, 2021 Major Shareholders: GL1 holds 100.00%; MB Lithium is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GL1. Principal Business: MB Lithium holds the mineral rights related to the Marble Bar Lithium Project. 2. Agreed Product and Technical Specifications Any spodumene concentrate produced from the Manna Lithium Project with a lithium oxide (Li₂O) content of not less than 5% and meeting the specifications agreed by both parties. The Company has the right to reject products with a lithium oxide content of less than 4.5%. 3. Supply Term The initial term is 10 years from the date of the first supply of the agreed product. Subject to satisfaction of the relevant conditions, the Company has the right to extend the initial term by 4 years by giving notice within one month prior to the expiry of the initial term. 4. Supply Volume GLR shall supply to the Company annually 40% of the actual annual production of spodumene concentrate from the Manna Lithium Project. GLR shall use its best efforts to achieve an annual supply volume of at least 70,000 tonnes of the agreed product. 5. Product Pricing The pricing of the supplied products is based on the average of price indices published by SMM , Fastmarkets, Benchmark Minerals Intelligence, Asian Metal, Platts S&P Global and other agencies, subject to a certain price concession. 6. Supply Shortfall If a supply shortfall occurs during a contract year, GLR shall use reasonable efforts to make up such shortfall within three months after the end of the relevant contract year. If GLR fails to provide the shortfall supply to complete the delivery within such three-month period (the "rectification period"), GLR shall pay in full the price difference to the Company within 30 days after the end of the rectification period. 7. Prepayment Amount Subject to satisfaction of the conditions precedent for the prepayment, the Company shall pay GLR a prepayment of not more than US$75 million (the "Maximum Amount"), which shall be strictly used for the development expenditure of the Manna Lithium Project and the operation of the project after its completion. When the Company accepts the agreed products, such prepayment shall be applied to offset the payable purchase price in batches. Considering the extended period of the prepayment, GLR shall pay the Company a funding fee calculated at a compound annual interest rate of 5%. 8. Overview of the Investment Target GL1 (ABN 58 626 093 150) is an Australian listed company located in Western Australia, primarily engaged in the exploration and development of lithium resources. Its core asset, the Manna Lithium Project, is located 100 km east of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, and is the third largest lithium resource project in the resource-rich Eastern Goldfields region. The project has a mineral resource of 51.6 million tonnes with an average lithium oxide grade of 1.0%. GL1 holds and operates the Manna Lithium Project through its wholly-owned subsidiary GLR (ACN 653 130 575). GL1 has obtained the mining lease for the lithium project and completed the project feasibility study. GLR expects to make a final investment decision (FID) for the Manna Lithium Project by the end of 2026. Following the FID, GLR will commence project construction, and the lithium project is expected to commence shipments in June 2028. This transaction represents an important measure for the Company to anchor its core business of lithium iron phosphate cathode materials and deepen its upstream resource layout. Currently, the Company's lithium iron phosphate business continues to expand in production and sales volume, its overseas capacity is progressing steadily, and the demand for stable supply and cost control of upstream lithium resources is increasing. Through this transaction, the Company will further enhance its lithium resource security capability, strengthen raw material supply stability and anti-cyclical resilience, improve vertical integration and overall competitiveness, which is in line with the Company's long-term development strategy and the interests of all shareholders. Source: China Securities Journal

Battery recycling company Battery Solutions announced on April 21 that it has partnered with BYD, the world’s top EV seller, to enter the LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery recycling market in South Korea for the first time.