Lithium’s Hard Year with Caspar Rawles

In The HC Commodities Podcast, host Paul Chapman interviews Caspar Rawles, Chief Operating Officer at Benchmark, about the lithium market's recent volatility, including price drops due to oversupply and slowing EV adoption. They discuss the differences between lithium carbonate and hydroxide, the impact of geopolitical factors on supply chains, and the role of technological advancements like direct lithium extraction. The conversation also covers mergers and acquisitions in the lithium sector, the demand for energy storage solutions, and the future of lithium in battery technology. Rawles introduces Benchmark's new lithium futures contracts with ICE, designed to help manage risk in the industry, and touches on the black mass index for battery recycling, highlighting the challenges and opportunities in that market.