Firebird Metals Builds First LMFP Battery in China Development Push

Firebird Metals

Australian Firm Partners with Chinese University to Test Lithium Manganese Iron Phosphate Technology

Firebird Metals, an Australian battery materials company, has successfully built a lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) battery in China, marking a significant step in its ongoing development program.

The company is conducting these tests in partnership with Central South University in Hunan province, making it one of the first Australian firms to assemble an LMFP battery abroad.

Firebird has begun testing 100 batches of battery metal formulations, with the goal of converting them into fully functional LMFP batteries. As of March 4, the firm has tested five batches, and several of them have already yielded working battery cells, according to its investor update.

Potential for LMFP Capacity Expansion at China Hub

Depending on the results of its full test campaign, Firebird may expand its Chinese battery hub to reach 1 tonne/day of LMFP capacity. The company aims to leverage China’s supply chain efficiency and academic R&D to accelerate commercial battery-grade material production.

Firebird is not alone in the LMFP race. Livium, a battery recycler, produced LMFP battery cells in 2020 at a Brisbane pilot plant. In China, Ningbo Rombay, a leading domestic manufacturer, operates at a scale of 10,000 tonnes per year, positioning itself as a dominant LMFP supplier.

Meanwhile, manganese sulphate prices, a key input for LMFP, have shown notable volatility. According to SUPERMETALPRICE, battery-grade manganese sulphate (≥32% Mn) ex-works pricing climbed from $660/t in February 2024 to $861/t in June, before retreating to $820/t by late February 2025. Prices remain well below the March 2022 peak of $1,671/t, reflecting ongoing market correction and oversupply dynamics.

Firebird’s pilot results could play a critical role in defining Australia’s foothold in low-cost, thermally stable LMFP battery chemistry, widely viewed as a viable alternative to LFP and NCM chemistries in energy storage and e-mobility applications.