Latest Battery Supply Chain News

Vulcan Energy has officially started full-scale construction of its Lionheart lithium chemicals facility in Frankfurt, targeting a 2028 commercial production start with a capacity to supply 500,000 EV batteries annually.

EcoGraf has signed a non-binding MOU with Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation to explore supplying up to 10,000 tonnes per annum of spherical graphite and natural flake graphite for battery anode materials, advancing its vertically integrated strategy.

PPK Group’s majority-owned PowerPlus Energy has won a $2.3 million ARENA grant to scale up its Melbourne battery pack manufacturing, aiming to triple production capacity to 150 MWh annually over two years.

Prairie Lithium is poised to begin commercial lithium production in Q4 2026 as its Direct Lithium Extraction facility nears completion, backed by a binding offtake agreement covering 100% of Phase 1 output and a strategic AU$10 million equipment contribution from Hydro Lithium.

Nickel Industries has secured a significant increase in its 2026 ore sales license and finalized a long-term supply agreement for its Excelsior Nickel Cobalt project, enhancing production certainty and sustainability.

Vulcan Energy has obtained its inaugural lithium production licence for the Lionheart Project in Germany, marking a pivotal step as the project moves into funded construction. This licence supports Vulcan’s ambition to supply Europe with sustainable lithium for electric vehicle batteries, backed by renewable energy co-production.

EcoGraf Limited has signed a non-binding MoU with Taiwan’s Long Time Technology to develop HFfree® purification facilities and expand battery anode operations across South East Asia and Taiwan, aiming to tap into Tier-1 OEM supply chains.

The US International Trade Commission has overturned preliminary findings and declined to impose steep tariffs on Chinese graphite anode materials, complicating Syrah Resources’ plans to scale up its US-based production facility.

Syrah Resources has locked in a multi-year conditional offtake agreement with NextSource Materials, underpinning the strategic importance of its Balama graphite in the evolving battery supply chain outside China.

Alpha HPA Limited reported a $22.5 million loss for the half-year ending December 2025, driven by ongoing investment in its HPA First Project. Despite the loss, strong demand from semiconductor and battery sectors and a recent $225 million capital raise position the company for significant growth.

Nickel Industries has received a significant 60% increase in its 2026 nickel ore sales quota, positioning the company to capitalise on rising nickel prices and ramp up its next-generation processing projects.

Elevra Lithium has signed a non-binding MoU to supply up to 144,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate annually to Mangrove Lithium, supporting a new Canadian lithium conversion facility and strengthening domestic battery material production.