Lithium price pressure builds

摘要

FOLLOWING SQM'S ATTEMPT to induce demand for lithium carbonate by slashing prices to 2005 levels, the Chile based producer has clarified its position for 2010. While IM estimated that the price of lithium carbonate would fall to $2.5/lb on bulk contracts, SQM has revealed the likely figure will be even lower, between 2.3-2.4/lb or $5,000-5,3000/tonne [IM November 2009: Price cuts give lithium rude awakening). Alejandro Echeverria, product manager for iodine and lithium at SQM, told IM: "New prices will be implemented as from January 2010. The reduction of around 20% applies on the prices that were effective at the time of the announcement, which were in the range $2.8-3/lb as we have informed. Then, new prices are foreseen to be in the range $2.3-2.4/lb".