The US mining company Cyprus Amax Minerals said its lithium prices have dropped by around US$ 0.30 to US$ 0.40 a pound as a result of a sharp rise in world lithium production this year. Despite the fa…
The US mining company Cyprus Amax Minerals said its lithium prices have dropped by around US$ 0.30 to US$ 0.40 a pound as a result of a sharp rise in world lithium production this year. Despite the fall in prices, Cyprus has maintained its Chilean and Nevada lithium operations working at top capacity. World lithium prices have been falling since a decision by Chilean fertiliser-maker Soquimich to sell lithium from its new Minsal mine at 30% below market prices. Minsal, which has the capacity to produce 40 million pounds of lithium a year, came on line late in 1996. Minsal officials have said that their aim is to stimulate world demand for the mineral by cutting prices and breaking the market dominance of Cyprus Amax and another US chemicals operation FMC Corp.