Pure Lithium Partners with Saint-Gobain to Accelerate Lithium-Metal Battery Membranes

Saint-Gobain

Strategic Collaboration Aims to Advance Next-Generation Battery Technology

US-based battery innovator Pure Lithium has partnered with Saint-Gobain Ceramics to accelerate the production of lithium-metal battery membranes. This collaboration leverages Saint-Gobain’s advanced manufacturing capabilities to commercialize cutting-edge battery separator membranes, a crucial component in next-generation lithium-metal batteries.

Boosting Lithium-Metal Anode Development

Pure Lithium will use Saint-Gobain’s production capacity and R&D expertise to scale up its membrane technology. These membranes enable the electrodeposition of lithium onto substrates to form high-performance lithium-metal anodes or function as separators within battery cells. This advancement aims to enhance energy density and battery efficiency, meeting the increasing demand for high-performance energy storage solutions.

Collaboration with E3 Lithium on Lithium-Vanadium Batteries

As part of its expansion strategy, Pure Lithium is developing a lithium-metal anode in partnership with Canadian lithium developer E3 Lithium. This initiative aligns with the company’s vision to introduce lithium metal-vanadium batteries, incorporating vanadium-based cathode materials to improve battery longevity and stability.

Paving the Way for Next-Generation Energy Storage

The partnership with Saint-Gobain Ceramics and collaboration with E3 Lithium position Pure Lithium as a key player in the future of lithium-metal battery technology. These efforts support the transition towards higher-performance energy storage for EVs, grid storage, and portable electronics.

China Vanadium Consumption Set to Rise in 2026 as VRFB Demand Accelerates

Vanadium

China vanadium consumption is expected to rise in 2026 as vanadium redox flow batteries, steelmaking, lithium iron phosphate cathode materials and denitration catalysts increase demand. The strongest growth is likely to come from VRFB-based energy storage, where projects are entering a more concentrated construction and commissioning phase.

China vanadium consumption reached 125,900t of vanadium pentoxide equivalent in 2025, up 6.1% from 2024. The market is now shifting from a steel-dominated structure toward a more diversified demand base.

China vanadium consumption still depends heavily on steel, but the share of energy storage has expanded quickly. Steel accounted for 70.9% of total demand in 2025, down from 87.9% in 2021. Energy storage rose to 20% of total use from only 4% over the same period.

This change is strategically important for vanadium producers. Demand is no longer driven only by construction steel, rebar and alloy additions. It is increasingly tied to long-duration energy storage, grid stability, batteries, catalysts and higher-value industrial applications.

VRFB Storage and Steel Demand Drive the 2026 Consumption Outlook

Vanadium demand from VRFB energy storage is expected to increase sharply in the second half of 2026. China’s National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration issued a notice on 30 January to improve the generation-side capacity price mechanism, supporting longer-duration storage.

This policy direction matters because VRFB technology is better suited to long-duration applications than many short-duration battery systems. VRFBs offer long cycle life, high safety, deep-discharge capability and easier electrolyte reuse.

China’s VRFB installations in 2026 are preliminarily estimated at 4-5GWh. This forecast reflects projects already under construction and the availability of high-purity vanadium for electrolyte production.

That installation level would require around 32,000-40,000t of V2O5 equivalent. This would represent an increase of 8,000-16,000t from the previous year, making VRFBs the largest source of incremental vanadium demand.

The growth builds on rapid progress in 2025. VRFB projects with completed electrolyte filling totalled about 3,037.5MWh last year, up 1,027.3MWh from 2024. China’s cumulative VRFB installed capacity reached about 6,064.5MWh by the end of 2025, with an average duration of 4.12 hours.

The market is now moving from pilot-stage expansion to larger system deployment. As more long-duration storage projects reach construction and commissioning, vanadium electrolyte demand could become more predictable.

Steel remains the largest end-use sector. Vanadium demand from China’s steel industry is expected at 92,000-95,000t in 2026, up 3,000-6,000t from 2025.

The increase is tied to stronger demand from machinery, energy, shipbuilding, automotive and rail sectors. These ferro-vanadium end-use segments are expected to grow by around 1.2% in 2026.

The steel demand signal was already visible in the first quarter. Steel-sector vanadium consumption reached around 22,600t, up 1,800t from a year earlier.

Rebar could also provide support. Output of higher-grade steel reinforcement bar is expected to rise as infrastructure investment accelerates. Production licence rules for construction rebar took effect on 1 April, while quality traceability requirements have expanded.

These rules should raise the share of vanadium-nitrogen micro-alloyed hot-rolled rebar. That would support demand for vanadium-nitrogen alloy, especially in higher-strength construction products.

The 2025 steel data show a more complicated picture. Vanadium consumption in the steel sector reached around 89,300t, up 1,700t from 2024. However, vanadium-nitrogen alloy consumption fell by 3.8% to 36,690t because rebar’s share of vanadium use declined.

China’s rebar output fell to 186.3mn t in 2025, down 4.5% from a year earlier. This reduced vanadium demand from traditional construction steel.

Ferro-vanadium performed better. FeV50-equivalent consumption rose by 10.4% to around 39,985t, supported by stronger downstream output in several industrial sectors.

Automotive production reached 34.778mn units in 2025, up 9.8%. Civil steel shipbuilding totalled 52.295mn deadweight tonnes, up 18%. Excavator output rose by 17% to 379,643 units.

Machine tool output also increased. Metal-cutting machine tool production rose by 9.7%, while metal-forming machine tool output increased by 7.2%. These sectors helped offset weakness in rebar.

Vanadium intensity also rose. China’s vanadium use per tonne of crude steel increased to 51g of vanadium metal equivalent in 2025 from 48g in 2024. Rebar intensity edged up to 152.5g, while other steel products rose to 26.6g.

LFP cathode materials will provide another smaller but fast-growing demand source. Vanadium consumption from LFP cathodes is estimated at 2,000-2,500t in 2026, assuming a typical 0.2% V2O5 addition rate.

That would be up by 1,000-1,500t, representing growth of 100-150%. The base remains small, but the rate of increase is significant.

Denitration catalysts should also support demand. Chemical-sector vanadium consumption is expected at around 7,000t in 2026, up about 500t, or 7.7%. Demand will be supported by catalyst replacement, new coal-based thermal power projects and higher sulphuric acid output.

In 2025, chemical-sector vanadium use was around 6,500t, up 200t from 2024. Titanium-alloy-related consumption fell by around 400t, tracking weaker Chinese titanium product exports.

Supply Growth Remains Limited by Feedstock and Cost Pressure

China’s vanadium supply remains highly concentrated, but output growth is not straightforward. The country accounted for 68.8% of global vanadium capacity in 2025 and 72.4% of global production.

China’s total vanadium capacity reached 277,600t in 2025. Actual output was 163,900t, down 900t from 2024.

The production base is dominated by vanadium slag. Output from vanadium slag reached 141,300t in 2025, broadly unchanged from the previous year.

Some producers reduced supply. Xinjiang Da’an and Yunnan Yukun did not produce, cutting combined output by about 8,000t. Other producers, including Chengsteel, Desheng and Dagang, raised output by around 15%, offsetting part of the loss.

Stone-coal-based vanadium output fell more sharply. Production declined to 7,600t in 2025, down 2,600t from 2024, as lower prices left all stone-coal producers loss-making.

This route remains highly price-sensitive. At current price levels, only one large-scale stone-coal producer is operating, with output of around 100-120 t/month of ammonium metavanadate on a V2O5-equivalent basis.

A Shaanxi-based producer with capacity of 300-350 t/month has been suspended since early 2026 because of safety issues. It is unlikely to restart in the first half.

Vanadium flake prices rose to 83,000-84,000 yuan/t in March, prompting some stone-coal producers to consider restarts. However, current prices still appear insufficient to drive a large supply response.

Even when prices approached 110,000 yuan/t in 2023, stone-coal-based output only reached about 11,000t. This suggests that 2026 output growth from stone coal will likely remain limited.

Secondary resources are becoming more important. Vanadium output from spent catalysts and other secondary sources rose to 15,100t in 2025, up 1,900t from 2024.

This included about 6,700t from alumina by-product recovery, up around 1,700t. Output from spent catalysts and petroleum residues stayed broadly stable despite lower vanadium prices.

The reason is co-product economics. Vanadium is often recovered alongside molybdenum and tungsten from secondary feedstocks. Higher molybdenum and tungsten prices supported operating rates and helped keep secondary recovery viable.

Secondary output is expected to remain broadly unchanged in 2026. Feedstock availability is relatively stable, but China’s restrictions on solid-waste imports since 2017 limit the potential for major raw material growth.

Vanadium slag-based supply may edge higher in 2026, but feedstock constraints create uncertainty. Qinhuangdao Baigong completed a 10,000 t/yr V2O5 line in early 2026 and is ramping toward normal operations. Its 2026 output guidance is around 5,000t.

However, tighter domestic feedstock availability could offset this addition. Vanadium-titanium magnetite supply in the Panzhihua area is particularly constrained, potentially cutting output by about 4,500-5,000t of V2O5 equivalent.

Producers in Sichuan and Yunnan may need to source vanadium-titanium magnetite from the Chengde area or increase imports to keep output in line with 2025. A northeastern steelmaking-based vanadium producer has also reduced vanadium-titanium magnetite imports since December 2025.

This creates a cautious supply outlook. China’s vanadium output may edge higher in 2026, but the increase depends on whether new slag-based capacity can offset feedstock tightness and further weakness in stone-coal production.

The market therefore faces a potential demand-led tightening risk. VRFB demand is rising quickly, steel demand is improving modestly and smaller sectors are growing. Supply growth, meanwhile, remains constrained by feedstock, cost pressure and limited secondary resource availability.

For vanadium producers, the key opportunity lies in high-purity electrolyte-grade material. VRFB demand requires reliable vanadium quality, stable supply and long-term availability. Producers that can supply battery-grade vanadium will be better positioned than those focused only on metallurgical demand.

For steel users, the issue is price exposure. If VRFB demand absorbs more vanadium units, ferro-vanadium and vanadium-nitrogen alloy buyers could face stronger competition from the energy storage sector.

For energy storage developers, the issue is raw material security. VRFB growth depends on enough high-purity vanadium to support electrolyte production. Supply constraints could affect project economics if demand accelerates faster than conversion capacity.

The Metalnomist Commentary

China’s vanadium market is entering a new phase where steel remains the base, but VRFBs set the growth direction. The strategic tension in 2026 will be whether constrained supply can keep pace with energy storage demand without pricing steel users out of the market.

Pure Lithium’s Acquisition Advances LVO Battery Technology

Pure Lithium

Pure Lithium, a Massachusetts-based battery manufacturer, has acquired the assets of New York-based vanadium cathode producer Dimien. This acquisition is a strategic move to further commercialize Pure Lithium's lithium metal-vanadium oxide (LVO) battery, which the company claims is safer, more cost-effective, and more efficient than traditional electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

A Safer, More Efficient Battery Technology

As part of the deal, Pure Lithium will gain access to Dimien's intellectual property, manufacturing equipment, and some personnel. Dimien is known for its zeta vanadium oxide (ZVO) cathode material, which Pure Lithium plans to pair with the lithium metal anode it is developing in collaboration with Canada-based E3 Lithium. This combination promises higher energy density and reduced fire risks compared to conventional nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) and nickel-manganese-aluminum (NMA) batteries.

Pure Lithium aims to streamline its production process, producing lithium metal-vanadium batteries in just 48 hours. The company is also exploring the possibility of constructing a commercial battery facility in Alberta, Canada, near E3 Lithium’s brine deposits. Financial terms and the acquisition's closing date were not disclosed.

Largo Vanadium Pentoxide Output Doubles as Brazil Ore Grades Improve

Largo

Largo vanadium pentoxide output more than doubled in the first quarter as higher-grade ore and steadier processing lifted production at the Maracás Menchen Mine in Brazil. The Canadian metals producer produced 2,616t of V2O5 during the quarter, up 101.7% from a year earlier.

The result placed Largo vanadium pentoxide output at the upper end of the company’s first-quarter expectations. It also showed a clear operational recovery from stronger ore availability and more consistent processing performance.

Largo vanadium pentoxide output is important because vanadium demand is gaining support from steelmaking, aerospace alloys, chemical catalysts and vanadium redox flow batteries. Higher Brazilian production adds supply at a time when energy storage demand is becoming a larger part of the vanadium market.

Higher Ore Volumes and Grades Lift Vanadium Production

Largo mined 852,046t of ore in the first quarter, up 90.8% from a year earlier. The effective ore grade rose to 0.48% V2O5 from 0.41% in 2025.

The higher ore grade improved plant feed quality and supported stronger recovery through the processing circuit. More consistent ore processing also helped the company convert higher mined volumes into finished vanadium pentoxide.

Sales volumes rose by nearly 4% on the year to 2,141t. Largo cited stronger vanadium demand and reduced US tariffs on Brazilian exports as key drivers behind the increase.

The company expects stronger sales in the second quarter. This reflects a lag in sales realisation and higher pricing achieved in the second half of the first quarter after the US tariff reduction.

For the vanadium market, the result points to improving supply from one of the main non-Chinese producers. That matters as buyers look for diversified sources of vanadium outside China’s large steel-linked production base.

Ilmenite and By-Products Add Resource Optionality

Largo also increased ilmenite production from January to April. Output reached about 11,500t, up 32.7% from a year earlier, while sales volumes were close to the same level.

Ilmenite provides Largo with another revenue stream linked to titanium feedstock markets. Titanium dioxide, welding consumables and titanium metal supply chains all depend on stable mineral feedstock availability.

The company also filed a request on 10 April to authorise production and sales of copper, platinum group metals, nickel and cobalt as by-products of its vanadium operations.

This step could improve resource recovery and strengthen project economics if the by-products can be recovered commercially. It would also align Largo with a wider industry trend toward extracting more value from complex ore bodies.

By-product recovery is increasingly important in critical minerals supply chains. Producers are looking to capture cobalt, nickel, PGMs and other metals where they already exist in operating systems, reducing waste and improving supply efficiency.

The Metalnomist Commentary

Largo’s first-quarter performance shows how quickly vanadium supply can improve when ore grade and plant consistency recover together. The by-product strategy could become equally important if it turns Maracás Menchen into a broader critical minerals platform.

E3 Lithium and Pure Lithium Collaborate to Revolutionize Lithium Metal Battery Production

E3 Lithium

Canadian lithium developer E3 Lithium and innovative battery manufacturer Pure Lithium have signed an agreement to push the boundaries of lithium metal battery production. The two companies will design a lithium metal anode and battery pilot plant near Calgary, Alberta, leveraging lithium concentrate produced by E3.

Simplifying Lithium Battery Production

The partnership aims to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of a full-scale lithium metal battery facility located adjacent to lithium production sites in Alberta. By merging Pure Lithium’s brine-to-battery technology with E3’s lithium brines and concentrate production, the collaboration seeks to eliminate the need for a lithium salt intermediary, streamlining the battery production process.

The companies have been working together since mid-2022, achieving a major milestone when Pure Lithium produced a lithium metal battery using E3’s lithium concentrate.

A Vision for Vertical Integration

Once the pilot project is complete, the facility is expected to produce 200kg of lithium metal anodes for lithium metal vanadium rechargeable batteries. If successful, this collaboration could lead to the development of the world’s first vertically integrated lithium metal battery technology, a groundbreaking achievement in the energy storage sector.

Driving Innovation in Alberta

This partnership could position Alberta as a hub for sustainable lithium battery production, with implications for the global battery market. As demand for high-performance batteries rises, this innovative approach could significantly impact the future of energy storage solutions.

E3 Lithium and Pure Lithium Join Forces to Revolutionize Battery Production in Canada

In a move set to redefine the landscape of battery manufacturing, Canadian lithium developer E3 Lithium has entered into a collaboration with battery manufacturer Pure Lithium. The two companies have signed an agreement to advance the design and development of a cutting-edge lithium metal anode and battery pilot plant in Canada.

This new facility, to be located near Calgary, Alberta, will leverage lithium concentrate produced by E3 Lithium, utilizing it in the creation of a lithium metal anode—a critical component for next-generation batteries. The partnership aims to explore the technical and economic feasibility of establishing a commercial-scale lithium metal battery facility in proximity to Alberta's rich lithium production sites.

By integrating Pure Lithium's innovative brine-to-battery technology with E3’s established lithium brines and concentrate production, the collaboration seeks to streamline the battery production process by eliminating the need for a lithium salt intermediary. This simplification could lead to more efficient and cost-effective battery manufacturing.

E3 Lithium and Pure Lithium have been collaborating since mid-2022, during which time Pure Lithium successfully produced a lithium metal battery using E3’s lithium concentrate. The upcoming pilot project will be a significant step towards commercial production, with plans to potentially scale up to produce 200kg of lithium metal anodes for advanced lithium metal vanadium rechargeable batteries.

If the pilot proves successful, the companies intend to pursue the development of the world’s first vertically integrated lithium metal battery technology, setting a new standard in the global battery industry.

Pure Lithium Secures $300mn EXIM Support for US-Based Lithium Metal Battery Facility

Pure Lithium Corporation

Pure Lithium has received a $300 million Letter of Interest (LOI) from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) to support its planned industrial-scale lithium metal battery plant. If approved, the Pure Lithium EXIM loan would fall under EXIM’s “Make More in America” initiative aimed at rebuilding domestic manufacturing capacity and securing supply chains in strategic sectors like energy storage.

The proposed facility will use Pure Lithium’s proprietary “Brine to Battery” process, which directly converts brine into lithium metal anodes—eliminating graphite, cobalt, nickel, and manganese. This vertically integrated method enables a fully US-based battery supply chain, from raw material extraction to cell production. CEO Emilie Bodoin emphasized the project's potential to reshape global lithium battery sourcing models.

Disruptive Battery Chemistry Supports Strategic US Objectives

The Pure Lithium EXIM loan could accelerate commercialization of lithium metal vanadium oxide batteries, which offer higher energy density without relying on traditional cathode materials. This technology positions Pure Lithium at the forefront of post-Li-ion battery innovation, directly supporting the U.S. push for clean tech self-reliance.

Pure Lithium’s partnerships reinforce its vertically integrated vision. It sources lithium concentrate from E3 Lithium in Alberta, Canada, and collaborates with Saint-Gobain Ceramics to engineer water-blocking lithium-selective membranes—a key component in its novel extraction process.

EXIM Financing to Boost US Battery Supply Chain Resilience

EXIM’s Make More in America strategy supports projects that improve domestic industrial competitiveness in sectors facing global strategic risk. The Pure Lithium EXIM loan would directly address U.S. concerns over dependence on foreign-dominated battery material supply chains, especially China.

If finalized, the funding will catalyze Pure Lithium’s ability to scale manufacturing within U.S. borders while lowering barriers for next-generation battery adoption. This aligns with U.S. energy security goals and rising demand for alternative battery chemistries in defense, mobility, and grid storage sectors.

The Metalnomist Commentary

The Pure Lithium EXIM loan represents a critical step in reshoring advanced battery manufacturing. As supply chain risks intensify and lithium metal demand grows, projects that fuse innovation with domestic sourcing will shape the next era of U.S. battery independence.

Jutai Nickel Cathode Production Adds Flexibility to China’s Downstream Nickel Chain

Zhejiang Jutai Plant

Jutai nickel cathode production has started at Zhejiang Jutai’s integrated refinery in Zhoushan, adding new capacity to China’s fast-expanding downstream nickel processing sector. The facility has 30,000 t/yr of nickel cathode capacity and can use mixed hydroxide precipitate or nickel matte as feedstock.

Jutai nickel cathode production strengthens the company’s ability to respond to changing nickel market conditions. The same Zhoushan site also hosts a 100,000 t/yr nickel sulphate project that was commissioned in October 2025, giving the complex around 55,000 t/yr of nickel capacity on a metal equivalent basis.

The new operation matters because China is rapidly converting imported nickel intermediates into higher-value products. Jutai nickel cathode production shows how MHP and matte supply are reshaping the country’s refining system beyond battery chemicals alone.

MHP and Matte Supply Drive New Refining Capacity

Nickel intermediates are becoming the foundation of China’s new nickel processing model. Growing supplies of MHP and nickel matte allow refiners to produce nickel sulphate, nickel cathode, and other downstream products depending on margins and customer demand.

Zhejiang Jutai’s Zhoushan complex reflects this flexible approach. The company can switch between nickel sulphate and nickel cathode output, which gives it commercial optionality across battery materials and refined metal markets. This flexibility is important when nickel prices, sulphate demand, and stainless steel-linked sentiment move in different directions.

The development also shows how China continues to capture value from Indonesia-linked nickel flows. As MHP and matte availability expands, Chinese refiners can build more diversified processing routes and strengthen their role in the global nickel value chain.

China Nickel Cathode Output Continues to Expand

China’s nickel cathode production reached 415,000t in 2025, up 24pc from the previous year. Output is expected to keep rising in 2026 as new capacity starts up, existing plants expand, and firmer nickel prices improve production economics.

Higher LME nickel prices are also supporting the sector. The average LME cash price reached $15,150/t in 2025, while the year-to-date average climbed to $17,482/t by late February, driven partly by reduced Indonesian nickel ore supply.

Shaanxi Jutai, Zhejiang Jutai’s parent company, already has experience in battery material production. Its Xi’an complex began producing nickel sulphate in 2018 and also produces cobalt sulphate, manganese sulphate, vanadium pentoxide, and molybdenum products. This gives the group a broader platform across strategic metals used in batteries, alloys, and industrial materials.

The Metalnomist Commentary

Jutai’s Zhoushan project highlights China’s strength in processing flexibility. The country is not only adding nickel capacity; it is building assets that can shift between battery chemicals and refined metal as market conditions change.