Australia's lithium loading volumes are estimated to have fallen in August, with declines recorded across all major loading ports, according to vessel-tracking data compiled by Argus.
Australian ports are estimated to have loaded about 286,000t of lithium in August, down by 23pc against 372,600t in July, latest data from vessel tracking firm Kpler compiled by Argus show. Official July data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, supplied through Global Trade Tracker, typically lagged behind Kpler's real-time data, showed loadings of about 370,500t, broadly in line with Argus' compiled figures.
Bunbury port, near Covalent Lithium's Mt Holland operations and the country's most cost-efficient lithium mine Greenbushes, loaded around 163,000t in August, down by 7.6pc on the month. Covalent Lithium is backed by Australian conglomerate Wesfarmers and Chilean lithium producer SQM, while Greenbushes is operated by Australian mining group IGO alongside major Chinese firm Tianqi Lithium and US-based producer Albemarle.
Shipments from Port Geraldton, used by lithium miner Liontown Resources, similarly fell by 34pc on the month to 39,100t. Volumes out of Port Hedland and Esperance fell by 54pc and 20pc on the month, respectively, to roughly 34,650t and 49,250t.
Australian iron ore and lithium producer Mineral Resources (MinRes) ships spodumene from its Wodgina site via Port Hedland, while lithium producer PLS' Pilgangoora project is also located nearby. MinRes' Bald Hill and Mount Marion operations both export spodumene through Esperance. South Korean conglomerate Posco will own a 15pc stake in Mount Marion once a deal between MinRes and Posco completes, which is expected in July-December 2026. Chinese lithium producer Ganfeng owns half of Mount Marion, leaving MinRes with a 35pc stake after the transaction closes.
The vast majority of Australian spodumene is shipped to China. Spodumene demand in China remains "decent", although demand has slowed down on Chinese lithium producers' plant maintenance, a source at an Australian spodumene producer said, but pointed at strong downstream battery demand.
