The Battery Metal Really Worrying China Is Lithium, Not Nickel

A barge pumps brine from an evaporation pond operated by Qinghai Salt Lake Industry Co. in this aerial photograph taken in Golmud, Qinghai province, on July 23, 2018. Photo: Bloomberg

Nickel has captured much of the limelight among battery metals in recent weeks, and understandably so. Wild price swings, including an unprecedented 250% advance over two trading sessions amid a short squeeze, and concerns tied to Russia’s role as a key supplier have added to longstanding worries among automakers about securing enough of the material.

Even so, it’s another metal that’s been causing concern in the world’s largest electric vehicle market.