Lithium Carbonate Market Size
| Study Period | 2019 - 2029 |
| Market Volume (2024) | 0.56 Thousand LCE kilotons |
| Market Volume (2029) | 0.16 Thousand LCE kilotons |
| CAGR (2024 - 2029) | 23.22 % |
| Fastest Growing Market | North America |
| Largest Market | Asia-Pacific |
Major Players
*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order |
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Lithium Carbonate Market Analysis
The Lithium Carbonate Market size is estimated at 0.56 Thousand LCE kilotons in 2024, and is expected to reach 0.16 Thousand LCE kilotons by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 23.22% during the forecast period (2024-2029).
The growing demand for lithium-ion batteries and the increasing investments in the glass and ceramics industries are expected to drive the market for lithium carbonate. On the flip side, constraints in lithium extraction and geographical restrictions of lithium mines are expected to hinder the growth of the market.
- The growing opportunity in the metallurgy industry is expected to create opportunities for the market during the forecast period.
- The Asia-Pacific region is expected to dominate the market. It is also expected to register a considerable growth rate during the forecast period. This is due to the rising demand for lithium carbonate from Li-ion batteries, pharmaceuticals and dental, and glass and ceramics applications.
Lithium Carbonate Market Trends
Li-Ion Battery Applications Expected to Drive Growth
- According to EV Volumes, in 2023, the total sales of electric vehicles globally increased by 15.8%, with total sales reaching 14.1 million units compared to 2022, when total sales stood at 10.5 million units. Thus, increasing sales of electric vehicles is expected to increase the demand for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.
- Li-ion batteries are being increasingly employed for solar energy battery bank applications in solar photovoltaic systems (engineered devices that capture and convert sunlight into electricity using the photovoltaic effect) on account of being lightweight, having low self-discharge, low maintenance, and high scalability. The high growth of solar power installation in North America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe is driving the demand for Li-ion batteries across the market.
- According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the demand for automotive Li-ion batteries jumped by a whopping 65% in 2022, reaching 550 GWh, up from 330 GWh in 2021, propelled by the tremendous rise in electric passenger car sales as evidenced by the new EV passenger car registrations increasing by 55% in 2022 y-o-y globally.
- The development in the lithium-air battery segment in recent years has shown signs of meeting the growing demand from various industry sectors. For instance, in February 2023, researchers at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory announced the development of a lithium-air battery that could power electric vehicles for more than a thousand miles on a single charge. The team’s new battery design could also power domestic airplanes and long-haul trucks in the future.
- The rising battery energy system globally is expected to boost the demand for lithium carbonate in the coming years. As per the Rystad Energy report 2022, the annual battery energy storage system (BESS) is expected to grow ten times from 2022 to 2030. The new global BESS installations are expected to reach 421 GWh by 2030 from 43 GWh in 2022.
- Owing to all these factors, the market for lithium carbonate is likely to grow globally during the forecast period.
Asia-Pacific Projected to Hold Major Market Share
- Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the lithium carbonate market during the forecast period. There is a rising demand for lithium carbonate from the Li-ion battery, pharmaceutical, and aluminum production applications in countries like China, Japan, and India.
- China is a net importer of lithium carbonate. According to the International Trade Centre (Trademap), in the fourth quarter of 2023, the country imported USD 1,170 million worth of lithium carbonate, which is slightly lower than the same period in 2022. The country imported nearly 88% of lithium carbonate from Chile in the same quarter. On the other hand, the country exported USD 28.23 million worth of lithium carbonate in Q4 2023.
- The pharmaceutical industry in India is expected to reach USD 130 billion by 2030 from USD 50 billion in 2023, according to Invest India. The government policies and schemes are supporting the growth of the industry. For instance, The Ministry's scheme “Strengthening of Pharmaceutical Industry (SPI)," with a total financial outlay of USD 60.9 million (INR 500 crores), extends support required to existing pharma clusters and MSMEs across the country to improve their productivity, quality, and sustainability.
- The rising aluminum production in India is expected to increase the demand for lithium carbonate in the country. For instance, aluminum production in the country reached 3.50 million tons in 2023, which decreased by 13% compared to 2022, according to the Ministry of Mines. The demand for aluminum in the country is expected to double by 2025, which is projected to propel the demand for lithium carbonate.
- According to the Japan Aluminum Alloy Association, the production and shipment volumes of secondary aluminum ingots and secondary aluminum alloy ingots in 2023 have both increased compared to the previous year. Production volume increased by 0.8% to 730,958 tons in 2023, and shipment volume increased by 0.6% to 738,199 tons in 2023 compared to 2022. The rising aluminum and its alloy production in the country is likely to foster the demand for lithium carbonate in the coming years.
- According to the Cement Association of Japan, domestic cement consumption reached 35.37 million tons in 2023, which declined by 5.6% compared to the previous year. Thus, declining cement consumption will likely impact the growth of the market studied in Japan in the coming years.
- Due to these factors, the lithium carbonate market in Asia-Pacific is expected to experience steady growth during the forecast period.
Lithium Carbonate Industry Overview
The global lithium carbonate market is consolidated in nature, with top players contributing to the major share of the market. Some of the major players in the market include (not in any particular order) Albemarle Corporation, SQM SA, Ganfeng Lithium Group Co. Ltd, Tianqi Lithium Industry Co. Ltd, and Arcadium Lithium.
Lithium Carbonate Market Leaders
Albemarle Corporation
SQM S.A.
Ganfeng Lithium Group Co., Ltd
Tianqi Lithium Industry Co., Ltd
Arcadium Lithium
*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
Lithium Carbonate Market News
- January 2024: Allkem and Livent completed an all-stock merger to form Arcadium Lithium. This merger is a strategic move to incorporate the existing resources and expand the production and supplier scale. Arcadium focuses on highly complementary assets and a vertically integrated business model focused on enhancing operational flexibility and predictability while lowering costs.
- October 2023: General Motors Holdings LLC (GM) executed a second tranche subscription agreement to which GM will purchase Lithium Americas (NewCo) shares of USD 329.85 million. Through this agreement, GM has 100% exclusive rights to Thacker Pass Phase 1 production for ten years, which produces lithium chemicals, including lithium carbonate.
- May 2023: SQM SA and Ford Motor Company announced a long-term strategic agreement to supply high-quality battery-grade lithium carbonate, which is an essential component for the manufacturing of high-performance electric vehicle batteries.
Lithium Carbonate Market Report - Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Study Assumptions
1.2 Scope of the Study
2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
4. MARKET DYNAMICS
4.1 Market Drivers
4.1.1 Growing Demand From Lithium-ion Batteries
4.1.2 Increasing Investments in the Glass and Ceramics Industry
4.2 Market Restraints
4.2.1 Constraints in Lithium Extraction and Geographical Restriction of Lithium Mines
4.3 Industry Value Chain Analysis
4.4 Porter's Five Forces Analysis
4.4.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
4.4.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers
4.4.3 Threat of New Entrants
4.4.4 Threat of Substitute Products and Services
4.4.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry
5. MARKET SEGMENTATION (Market Size in Volume)
5.1 By Grade
5.1.1 Technical Grade
5.1.2 Battery Grade
5.1.3 Industrial Grade
5.2 By Application
5.2.1 Li-ion Battery
5.2.2 Pharmaceuticals and Dental
5.2.3 Glass and Ceramics
5.2.4 Aluminum Production
5.2.5 Cement Industry
5.2.6 Other Applications
5.3 By Geography
5.3.1 Asia-Pacific
5.3.1.1 China
5.3.1.2 India
5.3.1.3 Japan
5.3.1.4 South Korea
5.3.1.5 Rest of Asia-Pacific
5.3.2 North America
5.3.2.1 United States
5.3.2.2 Canada
5.3.2.3 Mexico
5.3.3 Europe
5.3.3.1 Germany
5.3.3.2 United Kingdom
5.3.3.3 France
5.3.3.4 Italy
5.3.3.5 Rest of Europe
5.3.4 South America
5.3.4.1 Brazil
5.3.4.2 Argentina
5.3.4.3 Rest of South America
5.3.5 Middle East and Africa
5.3.5.1 Saudi Arabia
5.3.5.2 South Africa
5.3.5.3 Rest of Middle East and Africa
6. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
6.1 Mergers and Acquisitions, Joint Ventures, Collaborations, and Agreements
6.2 Market Ranking Analysis
6.3 Strategies Adopted by Leading Players
6.4 Company Profiles
6.4.1 Albemarle Corporation
6.4.2 Arcadium Lithium
6.4.3 Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium Group Co. Ltd
6.4.4 Levertonhelm Limited
6.4.5 Lithium Americas Corp.
6.4.6 Lithium Argentina Corp.
6.4.7 Shandong Ruifu Lithium Co. Ltd
6.4.8 SQM SA
6.4.9 Tianqi Lithium Industry Co. Ltd
- *List Not Exhaustive
7. MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE TRENDS
7.1 Growing Opportunity in the Metallurgy Industry
Lithium Carbonate Industry Segmentation
Lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) is a white powder, carbonate salt of lithium. It is used as cathode and electrolyte precursor materials for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which have applications in portable electronic devices (such as cell phones and laptops) and electric vehicles (EVs).
The global lithium carbonate market is segmented by grade, application, and geography. By grade, the market is segmented into technical grade, battery grade, and industrial grade. By application, the market is segmented into Li-ion battery, pharmaceuticals and dental, glass and ceramic, aluminum production, cement industry, and other applications (air conditioning and treatment, lubricating grease, metallurgical industry, etc.). The report also covers the market sizes and forecasts for the global lithium carbonate market in 15 countries across major regions. For each segment, the market sizing and forecasts are provided based on volume (kilotons).
| By Grade | |
| Technical Grade | |
| Battery Grade | |
| Industrial Grade |
| By Application | |
| Li-ion Battery | |
| Pharmaceuticals and Dental | |
| Glass and Ceramics | |
| Aluminum Production | |
| Cement Industry | |
| Other Applications |
| By Geography | |||||||
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Lithium Carbonate Market Research FAQs
How big is the Lithium Carbonate Market?
The Lithium Carbonate Market size is expected to reach 0.56 thousand LCE kilotons in 2024 and grow at a CAGR of 23.22% to reach 0.16 thousand LCE kilotons by 2029.
What is the current Lithium Carbonate Market size?
In 2024, the Lithium Carbonate Market size is expected to reach 0.56 thousand LCE kilotons.
Who are the key players in Lithium Carbonate Market?
Albemarle Corporation, SQM S.A., Ganfeng Lithium Group Co., Ltd, Tianqi Lithium Industry Co., Ltd and Arcadium Lithium are the major companies operating in the Lithium Carbonate Market.
Which is the fastest growing region in Lithium Carbonate Market?
North America is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period (2024-2029).
Which region has the biggest share in Lithium Carbonate Market?
In 2024, the Asia-Pacific accounts for the largest market share in Lithium Carbonate Market.
What years does this Lithium Carbonate Market cover, and what was the market size in 2023?
In 2023, the Lithium Carbonate Market size was estimated at 0.43 thousand LCE kilotons. The report covers the Lithium Carbonate Market historical market size for years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. The report also forecasts the Lithium Carbonate Market size for years: 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029.
Lithium Carbonate Industry Report
Statistics for the 2024 Lithium Carbonate market share, size and revenue growth rate, created by Mordor Intelligence™ Industry Reports. Lithium Carbonate analysis includes a market forecast outlook 2029 and historical overview. Get a sample of this industry analysis as a free report PDF download.
