What is spodumene concentrate?
The hard-rock lithium product, typically around 6% Li2O, produced from Australian and other pegmatite mines and shipped to converters that turn it into lithium hydroxide or carbonate.
Key points
- Feedstock, not a finished product.
- Roughly 7–8 tonnes of SC6 per tonne of LCE.
- Ships to where the converters are, which is overwhelmingly China.
At a glance
| Standard grade | ~6% Li2O, known as SC6 |
|---|---|
| Mined ore grade | 1–2% Li2O |
| Processing | Crushing, dense media separation, flotation |
| Conversion ratio | ~7–8 t SC6 per t LCE |
| Largest source | Western Australia |
The product
Spodumene is a lithium aluminium silicate found in pegmatite deposits. Mined ore at around 1–2% Li2O is concentrated by crushing, dense media separation and flotation into a product of roughly 6% Li2O, universally shortened to SC6.
Australia is by far the largest source, with Western Australia accounting for most of world hard-rock supply. The alternative route to lithium is brine, which is slower to bring on but cheaper to operate.
How it is priced
SC6 is priced per dry metric tonne of concentrate, with adjustments where the grade differs from 6%. Contracts increasingly index to published assessments rather than fixing a price, because lithium moved too violently for annual fixed pricing to survive.
To compare with chemical prices, concentrate is converted to lithium carbonate equivalent. Roughly 7 to 8 tonnes of SC6 make one tonne of LCE, depending on conversion efficiency.
Why it goes where it goes
Concentrate is not a usable product; it is feedstock for converters that produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide or carbonate. Conversion capacity is heavily concentrated in China, which is why most Australian concentrate ships there regardless of where the eventual battery is built.
That mine-here, convert-there structure is the same pattern seen in cobalt, graphite and rare earths, and it is what most Western supply chain policy is currently trying to change.
Frequently asked questions
- What does SC6 mean?
- Spodumene concentrate at approximately 6% Li2O, the standard commercial grade for hard-rock lithium concentrate.
- How much spodumene makes a tonne of lithium carbonate?
- Roughly 7 to 8 tonnes of SC6 per tonne of lithium carbonate equivalent, varying with conversion efficiency and the specific process.
- Why is spodumene shipped to China?
- Because the great majority of lithium conversion capacity is there. Concentrate is feedstock, not a finished product, so it goes where the converters are.
Related terms
The analytical determination of metal content in an ore, concentrate or refined product. Buyer and seller assays commonly differ slightly; contracts usually set a tolerance and appoint an umpire laboratory to settle disputes beyond it.
A long-term contract under which a buyer commits to purchase an agreed share of a project’s future production. For a mine, an offtake is often what makes financing possible, because it converts uncertain future output into contracted revenue.
The pricing reference for base metals including aluminium, copper, zinc and tin. Most physical contracts are written as the LME cash or three-month price plus or minus a negotiated premium reflecting grade, location and delivery terms.
Trading this, or trying to price it?
CommoFlow sources, buys, sells and ships physical commodities from the Middle East, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Africa and Australia. If a contract term is deciding your economics, our desk deals with it daily.
Contact our desk