Samsung SDI announced on August 4 that it will strengthen its push into the AI data center battery backup unit (BBU) market with cylindrical batteries that offer space efficiency, high output and safety. The company plans to expand the application of its cylindrical batteries from power tools and home appliances to BBUs for artificial intelligence (AI) data centers.

According to local U.S. media reports, the Fayette County Board of Commissioners in Ohio unanimously approved on June 29 a proposal for the county building department to resume reviewing building permits and conducting site inspections for the L-H Battery Company plant. The work had previously been handled by the state government. Following the decision, construction-related permitting and inspection authority for the battery plant near Jeffersonville will be transferred to Fayette County.

Industrial digitalization is emerging as a growing focus area across Africa's lithium and EV supply chain, as producers and downstream players face increasing pressure to demonstrate transparency, traceability, and operational efficiency from mine to battery. In one example of this trend, Southern Africa based industrial software provider IS³ has announced plans to connect operations across the region's lithium and EV ecosystem spanning mining and mineral processing, battery manufacturing, EV assembly, and battery recycling through a shared industrial data platform. The initiative centers on enabling organizations across the value chain to securely share operational data, with stated goals of improving collaboration, visibility, and supply chain resilience across SADC region mining and manufacturing operations. The broader push reflects a wider industry shift: as African lithium projects scale from early production toward integrated regional supply chains, data connectivity and digital infrastructure are increasingly viewed as complementary to traditional competitiveness factors like grade, cost, and logistics. SMM View: Digital traceability and operational data-sharing are becoming a growing differentiator as African lithium producers seek to meet the compliance and sustainability expectations of downstream battery and EV manufacturers, particularly in markets with tightening ESG and supply chain due diligence requirements. As more of Africa's lithium output moves toward integrated processing and battery value chains from Zimbabwe and Namibia through to Southern Africa's broader EV ambitions the pace of digital infrastructure adoption may become an increasingly relevant factor in project competitiveness and investor due diligence going forward.

Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) is thrilled to announce that the 2026 SMM Global Lead-Acid Battery Supply Chain Industry Conference (LABC 2026) is scheduled to be held on November 23-24, 2026, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. As stakeholders across the global lead industry set their sights on Southeast Asia, one under‑rated factor flies under the radar: the Middle East has quietly grown into an unseen game‑changer reshaping worldwide non‑ferrous metal recycling. It serves as a major global hub for scrap metal trading, a multi‑continental logistics nexus linking Asia, Africa and Europe. In addition, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 has unlocked massive volumes of industrial dismantling waste from its trillion‑dollar infrastructure upgrade drive. With waste volumes surging annually and well‑established recycling infrastructure in place, slag reprocessing and high‑value material recovery are no longer mere laboratory‑scale projects. Instead, they have become make‑or‑break profit drivers for market participants. We are honoured to welcome our distinguished speaker Jawed Ahmed , Founder and CEO of Al Qaryan International DMCC and a seasoned industry operator with over 20‑year‑long experience within Middle‑Eastern markets. He will deliver a keynote speechd: Global Lead Circular Economy: Slag Recycling & High-Value Utilization by MENA’s Top Non-Ferrous Recycle . For the very first time, Jawed will conduct a comprehensive breakdown covering three core topics: The recycling‑network layout and graded‑value utilisation framework for spent lead‑acid batteries and smelter slag across the Middle‑East region How Middle‑Eastern recyclers achieve full‑scale recovery of usable substances out of slag via technology investment, operating next‑door to Europe with its stringent environmental‑protection benchmarks How Middle‑Eastern expertise can deliver replicable cooperation frameworks for the embattled Southeast‑Asian lead industrial chain Join us in Ho Chi Minh City and hear hard‑earned, on‑the‑ground expertise on slag‑based resource recovery from one of the Middle East's top-tier players. Stay tuned!

[SMM Daily Review: Aug 5 Spot Lithium Carbonate Prices Consolidate Higher] Today, SMM battery-grade lithium carbonate spot price consolidated higher compared to the previous trading day. The lithium carbonate 2609 contract opened lower at 139,700 yuan/mt, briefly dipped to 138,300 yuan/mt after opening and then found support, with bulls stepping in to push prices to consolidate and rebound; in the morning session, prices fluctuated on the strong side in the 140,000-142,000 yuan/mt range, and the center gradually moved higher despite some back-and-forth; near midday, bulls and bears consolidated in a tug-of-war in the 141,500-142,500 yuan/mt range; in the afternoon, bulls continued to push, and prices consolidated higher; near the close, concentrated capital inflows drove prices quickly up to 144,300 yuan/mt, hitting an intraday high, then pulled back slightly on some profit-taking, settling around 143,200 yuan/mt, finally closing up 2.61% at 143,200 yuan/mt. Open interest decreased by 9,640 lots. In the spot market, downstream buyers purchased as needed on dips. Some downstream buyers saw increased spot order demand as upstream lithium chemical plants' maintenance reduced long-term contract volumes; upstream lithium chemical plants remained cautious in selling spot cargoes, with those having maintenance plans focusing on securing long-term contract supplies this month, while some lithium chemical plants showed signs of loosening their intent to hold prices firm. Overall, market inquiries and actual transactions were relatively stable.

[SMM Magnesium Express]Recently, Hefei Qixing Light Metal Technology Co., Ltd. invested a total of 453 million yuan in a project to produce 50,000 tons of lightweight magnesium alloy ingots annually, which has been established in Chaohu, Anhui. The project involves the construction of modern workshops and an intelligent smelting system, aiming to fill the local gap in high-end magnesium alloy materials and meet the stable supply demand for high-quality magnesium alloy raw materials required for large-scale integrated die-casting applications such as battery trays and electric drive housings in new energy vehicles. With the project's commencement, the local magnesium alloy industry chain's supporting capacity is expected to further strengthen.

[SMM Express] NioBay Metals Inc. has successfully produced high-purity niobium and tantalum oxides from its Crevier Project in Québec, achieving approximately 99.6% niobium oxide (Nb₂O₅) and 99.98% tantalum oxide (Ta₂O₅). The purification programme, completed with processing and analytical work conducted by SGS Canada Inc., confirms the effectiveness of the company's metallurgical and hydrometallurgical flowsheet, including a calcination stage at temperatures of up to 1,050°C. According to NioBay, the oxide products meet the specifications of certain potential customers, representing a significant technical milestone for the Crevier Project. The company is evaluating the project's potential to produce niobium oxide for battery and superalloy applications, following earlier studies indicating favourable technical and economic parameters. The production of high-purity niobium and tantalum oxides signifies continued progress in downstream processing capabilities outside traditional supply regions. While the demand for high-specification materials grows across battery, aerospace and advanced manufacturing sectors, successful purification milestones could strengthen future supply and support value addition within the niobium and tantalum supply chain.

On August 5th, The African Development Bank Group has approved a €100 million loan to Gotion Power Morocco to finance an integrated cathode-to-cell lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery gigafactory in the Rabat-Salé Kénitra Free Trade Zone. AfDB plans to mobilize up to an additional €141 million from financial partners, acting as Mandated Lead Arranger under the New African Financial Architecture for Development (NAFAD). The project is led by Gotion High-Tech, a Hefei-headquartered, Shenzhen-listed battery manufacturer, and will mark the first integrated battery manufacturing plant in Africa and the MENA region. Phase 1 targets 10 GWh of battery cell and pack production for EVs, with capacity plans to scale up to 100 GWh. The facility is expected to create over 600 direct jobs and reach a 70% local industrial integration rate. AfDB's Kevin Kariuki called battery storage the missing link in Africa's clean energy transition, noting the renewable-powered facility will support large-scale solar and wind integration while building green industrial jobs. AfDB's Morocco country manager Achraf Tarsim said the gigafactory will strengthen Morocco's industrial competitiveness and support local beneficiation of critical minerals used in the energy transition. SMM View: The project signals growing downstream investment in Africa's battery value chain, moving beyond raw mineral extraction toward integrated cathode-to-cell manufacturing. As Morocco positions itself as a mobility and green-tech hub, this development adds to a broader continental trend of localizing value-add stages of the lithium supply chain a shift that could reshape where and how African critical minerals are processed in the years ahead

SMM August 5 News: Driven by expectations of rising lead prices, recyclers hope that smelters' raw material purchase prices will rise in tandem, resulting in a strong wait-and-see sentiment. However, downstream finished product transactions have not improved significantly, so smelters dare not raise material procurement prices substantially. Some recyclers complain that while market prices rise, scrap battery prices do not follow suit; they are observing changes in smelters' production willingness after the lead price increase, and the impact of rising procurement demand expectations on scrap battery prices. SMM expects that in the short term, scrap battery prices will mainly rise tentatively in line with the market, lacking sufficient momentum for a substantial rally.

On August 4, news emerged that the signing ceremony for the cooperation project between BTR Group and Wuchuang Recycling was held in Ningxiang City, Hunan Province. This collaboration, leveraging BTR Group's technological and channel advantages in the anode material field and Wuchuang Recycling's supporting infrastructure in the waste lithium battery recycling industry, will further complement the downstream material segment of Ningxiang's power battery recycling industry chain. This will enhance industrial synergies and inject new momentum into the development of the green economy.