Lithium

Lithium is a data page on the Macro desk of Glassbox Auditing. What U.S. buyers pay for lithium carbonate and hydroxide, where imports come from, listed producers' share prices, and world mine production and reserves.

Last updated: 5 Nov 2026.

What is the latest reading?

Lithium carbonate: U.S. import price per tonne: $16,846/t as of 1 Aug 2026, +294.3% since Jan 2013. Source: U.S. Census Bureau international trade: imports of lithium carbonate (HS 2836.91) and lithium oxide and hydroxide (HS 2825.20) by month and country.

What is on this page today?

Albemarle shares rose 9% over a year to $99.25 on 6 Nov — -69% from its five-year high (NYSE, 5 Nov 2026) ALB
SQM shares rose 24% over a year to $57.52 on 6 Nov — -49% from its five-year high (NYSE, 5 Nov 2026) SQM
Sigma Lithium shares rose 15% over a year to $5.82 on 6 Nov — -86% from its five-year high (Nasdaq, 5 Nov 2026) SGML
Lithium Argentina shares rose 14% over a year to $4.25 on 6 Nov — -74% from its five-year high (NYSE, 5 Nov 2026) LAR
Lithium Americas shares fell 58% over a year to $1.93 on 6 Nov — -84% from its five-year high (NYSE, 5 Nov 2026) LAC
Chile supplied 52% of U.S. lithium carbonate imports by value in the 12 months to August 2026 — 43% in the 12 months before · the five largest of 10 countries of origin supplied 99% · country of origin is where the product was made, not who owns the mine (Census Bureau, 30 Aug 2026)
The U.S. imported 1,433 tonnes of lithium carbonate in August 2026, +40% on a year earlier — 1,024 tonnes a year earlier · lithium oxide and hydroxide 97 tonnes against 26 · customs records, general imports (Census Bureau, 30 Aug 2026)
Lithium carbonate: U.S. buyers paid $16,846 a tonne at the border in August 2026, +60% on a year earlier — Import unit value (customs value over quantity), not an exchange price (Census Bureau (U.S. import records), 31 Jul 2026) ALB SQM
Lithium oxide and hydroxide: U.S. buyers paid $25,541 a tonne at the border in August 2026, +138% on a year earlier — Import unit value (customs value over quantity), not an exchange price (Census Bureau (U.S. import records), 31 Jul 2026) ALB SQM
Australia mined 32% of the world's lithium in 2025; the world total was 290,000 tonnes — 222,000 tonnes in 2024 · China 21%, Chile 19% · lithium content of mine output; 2025 is USGS's estimate; the U.S. figure is withheld (U.S. Geological Survey, 30 Dec 2025)

Where does the data come from?

Items on this page come from NYSE; Nasdaq; Census Bureau; Census Bureau (U.S. import records); U.S. Geological Survey. Each item links to its own source. All sources, how items are checked.

What does this page lead to?

Auto & Energy (Companies): Lithium is a key battery input, so higher lithium prices raise battery and EV costs for automakers and battery makers, mostly through contracts that reset over months. (moves the other way; quarters; sector scale) Source: U.S. Census Bureau international trade: imports of lithium carbonate (HS 2836.91) and lithium oxide and hydroxide (HS 2825.20) by month and country.
Company (Companies): Lithium producers' revenue rises with the price their output fetches, so their shares tend to move with lithium prices. (moves the same way; same week; company scale) Source: Yahoo Finance: share prices of listed lithium producers (ALB, SQM, SGML, LAR, LAC) and the LIT ETF.
Resources & Energy (World Powers): Lithium is mostly mined in Australia, Chile, China and Argentina and mostly refined in China, so price swings move those countries' export earnings and the cost of battery supply chains elsewhere. (moves the same way; quarters; global scale) Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries (mine production, reserves, U.S. net import reliance).
Vehicles (Domestic Intelligence): Battery cells are the largest single cost of an EV and lithium is part of that cost, so lithium prices feed EV prices and, through them, EV sales. (moves the other way; 1-2 years; economy scale) Source: IEA Global EV Outlook data (electric car sales and stock by country; via Our World in Data from 2026).

What feeds this page?

Auto & Energy (Companies): Battery and EV makers are the main buyers of lithium carbonate and hydroxide, so their production plans set U.S. import demand. (moves the same way; months; sector scale) Source: U.S. Census Bureau international trade: imports of lithium carbonate (HS 2836.91) and lithium oxide and hydroxide (HS 2825.20) by month and country.
Vehicles (Domestic Intelligence): Batteries are the largest use of lithium, so rising electric-car sales worldwide raise demand for lithium carbonate and hydroxide. (moves the same way; months; sector scale) Source: IEA Global EV Outlook data (electric car sales and stock by country; via Our World in Data from 2026).
Good News (Global Intelligence): Batteries for electric cars and for storing wind and solar power are the main use of lithium, so faster clean-power build-out raises lithium demand. (moves the same way; years; global scale) Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries (mine production, reserves, U.S. net import reliance).
Resources & Energy (World Powers): China refines most of the world's lithium, graphite and rare earths, so its share sets the supply risk U.S. buyers face and the sourcing rules written in response. (either way, depending on the cause; years; global scale) Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries (mine production, reserves, U.S. net import reliance).