Lithium price whipsaws after China futures hit down-limit; Albemarle, SQM ease before U.S. open
China’s top-traded lithium carbonate futures fell nearly 9% Friday, repeatedly hitting daily down-limits at 146,200 yuan per ton. Leading lithium miners Albemarle, SQM, and Lithium Americas slipped in U.S. premarket trading as policy shifts in Washington and Brazil fueled supply concerns. Brazil’s Labor Ministry ordered waste pile closures at Sigma Lithium’s Grota do Cirilo mine, citing safety risks.