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SMM AFRICA CRITICAL MINERALS SEMINAR 2026

2026 SMM Australia Lithium Resources Industry Field Trip

NET ZERO MEA Solar & Energy Storage Summit

2026 SMM Automotive Supply Chain Conference

CLNB 2026 - The 11th New Energy Industry Chain Expo

NET ZERO EUROPE - Solar & Energy Storage Summit

Indonesia Nickel & Cobalt & EV Industry Conference 2024

CLNB 2024 9TH CHINA NEW ENERGY EXPO

Shanghai Metals Expo 2025

AICE 2025 SMM (14th) Aluminum Industry Annual Conference

MMi Daily Iron Ore Report (January 19)

SMM reported on January 19 that on January 16, 2026, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, together with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Commerce, and the State Administration for Market Regulation, jointly issued the "Interim Measures for the Recycling and Comprehensive Utilization of Waste Power Batteries from New Energy Vehicles (NEVs)." This new management measure, being a joint departmental regulation, carries mandatory legal force, fundamentally changing the previous situation where guidance documents lacked sufficient binding power.

[SMM Analysis] What Are the Specific Benefits for Lithium Battery Recycling Enterprises from the Issuance of the "Interim Measures for the Recycling and Comprehensive Utilization of Scrap NEV Power Batteries"?

[SMM Stainless Steel Daily Review] Year-End Funding Pressure Leads to Spot Price Concessions While Futures Provide Support  
SMM January 19 – SS futures showed a pattern of holding up well. Although the night session last Friday continued a weaker trend, SS rebounded and rose after Monday's opening. Despite lacking further upward momentum, overall it fluctuated at highs around the 14,300 yuan/mt level. In the spot market, dragged by the lack of upward strength in SS futures, spot trader offers pulled back. In Foshan, due to expectations of an early Chinese New Year break and significant year-end repayment pressure, combined with thick wait-and-see sentiment and weak transactions downstream, more traders offered concessions to sell, with prices slightly lower than those in Wuxi. Although stainless steel demand remains relatively weak and spot offers have pulled back slightly, spot cargoes available for circulation in the market are still tight, and traders focusing mainly on spot have low inventory pressure. Together with cost support and futures holding firm at highs, market sentiment to hold prices firm persists, and short-term prices may remain firm.

The most-traded SS futures contract retreated after a rapid rise. At 10:30 a.m., SS2603 was quoted at 14,360 yuan/mt, down 90 yuan/mt from the previous trading day. In Wuxi, spot premiums/discounts for 304/2B were in the range of 10-210 yuan/mt. In the spot market, the average price for cold-rolled 201/2B coil in Wuxi was 8,500 yuan/mt; for cold-rolled mill-edge 304/2B coil, the average price in Wuxi was 14,300 yuan/mt, and in Foshan 14,150 yuan/mt; for cold-rolled 316L/2B coil in Wuxi, 26,300 yuan/mt, and in Foshan 26,300 yuan/mt; for hot-rolled 316L/NO.1 coil, Wuxi reported 255…

[SMM Stainless Steel Daily Review] Year-End Funding Pressure Leads to Discounts on Spot Cargo, Stainless Steel Futures Provide Support for Short-Term Stability

Zambian Government Delegation Visits SMM to Explore Strategic Cooperation in Energy & Minerals

Brazil shuts down Sigma Lithium waste piles over safety concerns

Recently, the new-type shared ESS project in Yuanjiang County was successfully energized, achieving its commissioning target 38 days ahead of schedule, marking the project's official entry into the commercial operation phase. As a key project listed in the *Yunnan Province 2025 New-Type Shared ESS Project Inventory*, the project has a construction capacity of 100 MW/200 MWh and adopts the LFP technical route. As a new energy project encouraged by the state, after commissioning, it is expected to discharge over 60 million kWh of electricity annually to the power grid, effectively enhancing the regional grid's regulation and power supply capabilities, optimizing the energy structure in Yuanjiang County and surrounding areas, upgrading ESS technology, and promoting green and low-carbon development.

New-Type Shared ESS Project in Yuanjiang Energized 38 Days Early, Enters Commercial Operation

[SMM Daily Review: Spot Lithium Carbonate Prices Continued to Decline on January 19]
The SMM battery-grade lithium carbonate index stood at 151,665 yuan/mt, down 7,812 yuan/mt from the previous working day. Battery-grade lithium carbonate was priced at 146,000-156,000 yuan/mt, with an average price of 151,000 yuan/mt, down 7,000 yuan/mt from the previous working day. Industrial-grade lithium carbonate was priced at 142,000-153,000 yuan/mt, with an average price of 147,500 yuan/mt, down 7,000 yuan/mt from the previous working day.

The most-traded lithium carbonate futures contract moved sideways today, fluctuating between 142,100 yuan/mt and 151,100 yuan/mt. In terms of actual transactions, upstream spot sellers showed reduced willingness to sell, with some lithium chemical plants holding back supplies. Downstream material plants mostly maintained their procurement-as-needed pace, while some enterprises remained cautious and adopted a wait-and-see approach. Overall, market trading remained relatively active. 

SMM Daily Review: Spot Lithium Carbonate Prices Continued to Decline on January 19

Ningxia Zhongwei Baohe Energy Storage Technology Co., Ltd. has been established with a registered capital of 430 million yuan. Its business scope includes battery sales, charging pile sales, etc.

[SMM Flash News] Southern Power Grid Energy Storage and Others Establish Energy Storage Technology Company in Ningxia, Business Includes Battery Sales, etc.

The company is wholly owned by Jiangsu Li Auto Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Li Auto.

[SMM Flash News] Li Auto's Drive Technology Company Increases Registered Capital to 300 Million Yuan, Up Approximately 67%

On January 16, Trinasolar disclosed that its ESS shipments exceeded 8 GWh in 2025, with overseas shipments accounting for over 60% of the total. The company plans to ship 15-16 GWh in 2026, and currently has overseas orders on hand exceeding 12 GWh. The proportion of exports is expected to further increase in 2026. Due to high order fulfillment levels, the company will independently select orders in the future and may use externally purchased battery cells to fulfill low-value orders. The company also mentioned that rising battery cell prices are favorable for its business, as it has its own battery cell production capacity, allowing cost pass-through. By the end of 2025, Trinasolar's battery cell capacity is set to increase from 16 GWh to 20 GWh, with planned battery cell capacity of 20-25 GWh in 2026, supporting 40 GWh of system capacity.

[New Energy Express]

On January 19, Hunan Yuneng New Energy Battery Materials Co., Ltd. issued an announcement on the prospectus for a private placement of shares, intending to raise no more than 4.788 billion yuan, primarily for the construction of ESS battery cathode material capacity and to supplement working capital. According to the announcement, the fundraising projects are closely focused on ESS battery materials, including: an annual production capacity of 320,000 mt of LMFP, with a planned investment of 2.8 billion yuan—the product is compatible with various phosphate cathode materials and can flexibly meet market demands for ESS and power batteries; an annual production capacity of 75,000 mt of ultra-long cycle LFP, with a planned investment of 500 million yuan, focusing on enhancing the supply capability of long-cycle-life cathode materials required for ESS batteries; and an annual production capacity of 100,000 mt of iron phosphate, with a planned investment of 600 million yuan, to improve the self-supply system of upstream precursors and ensure supply chain stability and cost advantages.

SMM Online Webinar: Nickel in Turmoil - Decoding Indonesia’s Policy evolution & The Future of Global Supply

The 4th National Excellent PhD Student Forum on Magnesium Materials

Review and Outlook: Nickel, Stainless Steel and Feedstock of Stainless Steel

2025 H1 Lithium Carbonate Market Review and H2 Outlook

SMM Free Webinar: Cobalt Ban Extension Spells: DRC’s Price Boost vs Global Supply Chain Resilience

SMM ONLINE WEBINAR: Navigating the Commodities Landscape in the Energy Transition: Short & Medium-Term Investment Insights

Global Solar & Energy Storage Trends Amid Tariff Shifts

U.S. Tariffs and the Global Aluminium Market: Navigating Shifting Supply-Demand Dynamics and Rising Costs

Indonesian Nickel Market Review: Price Trend, Policy, and Market Dynamics

Global Lithium Battery Recycling Market Analysis

Harnessing Solar Growth in MEA: Market Dynamics, Investment Climate, and Global Partnerships 

Category	Price Description	Price Range	Avg	Change	Date
Raw Materials	Battery-Grade Lithium Carbonate CNY/mt	146000-156000	151000	-7000	Jan 19
Raw Materials	Battery-Grade Lithium Hydroxide (Coarse Particles) CNY/mt	140000-148000	144000	-5000	Jan 19
Cathode material	LFP (EV Powder density≥2.50g/ cm³) CNY/mt	53500-54060	53780	-1695	Jan 19
Battery separator	Wet-process Base Film（9μm） CNY/㎡	0.77-0.87	0.82	0	Jan 19
Electrolyte	LiPF6 (Domestic) CNY/mt	150000-160000	155000	0	Jan 19
Electrolyte	Electrolyte (For LFP Battery) CNY/mt	29500-42000	35750	0	Jan 19

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