In the most recent round of adjustments of China’s “Catalogue of Technologies Prohibited and Restricted Export from China” LFP/LFMP inclusion is out to public solicitation

A significant addition to the restricted technologies list is “Battery Cathode Material Preparation Technology.” This restriction specifically targets advanced battery materials crucial for electric vehicles and energy storage.

• Non-Ferrous Metal Smelting and Rolling Processing: This section features multiple revisions, with a particular emphasis on lithium extraction and processing technologies. Particularly highlights restrictions on technologies related to extracting lithium from various sources, including spodumene, a lithium-rich mineral, and brines.

The specifics of the restrictions added for battery and lithium technologies:

Battery Cathode Material Preparation Technology:

• Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) Preparation Technology: The restrictions target LFP materials with high density, capacity, and efficiency. 
• Lithium Manganese Iron Phosphate (LMFP) Preparation Technology: The restrictions focus on LMFP materials with specific electrochemical properties, including high energy density and voltage. 
• Phosphate Cathode Raw Material Preparation Technology: restricts the production processes for key precursor materials used in LFP and LMFP batteries, including iron phosphate, lithium iron phosphate, ferrous oxalate, lithium dihydrogen phosphate, and lithium phosphate. 

Lithium Extraction and Processing Technologies:

• Spodumene-Based Lithium Extraction for Lithium Carbonate and Lithium Hydroxide Production: Restricts a range of technologies associated with extracting lithium from spodumene. This includes techniques for purification, carbonation, mother liquor recycling, automation, and lithium hydroxide carbonation.
• Direct Lithium Extraction from Brines: Restricts the export of technologies for directly extracting lithium from brine resources. This includes the development of specialized adsorbent materials and integrated extraction processes.

Preparation of Purified Lithium Solutions: Restrictions cover various purification methods, including ion exchange, removal of impurities, and membrane separation.

Lithium Metal Preparation Technologies:

• Multi-anode electrolysis technology
• Metal lithium distillation and purification technology (3)
• Metal lithium (alloy) and lithium material rolling processing technology

It’s crucial to understand that China’s new export controls on battery and lithium technologies focus on restricting, not prohibiting, the transfer of production technologies. This means:

• No ban on materials: The export of the actual battery materials themselves (like lithium, LFP, or LMFP) is not restricted. Chinese companies can continue to sell these materials to international buyers.
• Technology transfer is controlled: What’s being restricted is the “know-how” – the specific technologies and processes used to produce these advanced materials.
• Finished products are still exportable: Batteries and related equipment manufactured in China using these technologies can still be exported normally. This includes production equipment and testing equipment.