China plan to addresses battery materials shortages and soaring prices by accelerating the development of domestic  lithium projects.  Lithium rich regions such as Yichun ( Lepidolite ), Qinghai (Salt lake lithium) and Sichuan (Spodumene).   The ministry of natural resources recently approved two projects on the same day (1)- spodumene, (2) salt- lake.  Almost 80% of China’s lithium resources are tied up in the 7 lithium lakes in Qinghai and Tibet.  However brines account for less than 30% of China’s LCE production, while the remainder come from  lithium ores.  After years of underdevelopment due to the high magnesium content, new extraction technologies combined with high LCE prices have  made brines viable.

Battery companies , OEM’S, Commodity trades are pouring into the lithium mining.

• CATL- Yichun lithium mine 
• BYD- a)Sichuan Ludi Mining Co, b)Youngy-Sichuan and c) Tibet Mining Co
• Guoxuan- Yifeng Guoxuan Lithium Industry Co (Brine)

  EVE Energy, SVOLT and Sunwoda are also active in lithium resource development.