# Lithium Price per kg (United States)

The Stockatomics US benchmark price of lithium is $89.62 per kg contained as of October 2026. At $89.62, the price is at its highest in the past 12 months.

Source: https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/lithium-price-us
Category: Critical Minerals (https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/critical-minerals)
Lists: US Critical Minerals List, EU Critical Raw Materials Act

## Key figures

| Figure | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Price per kg contained | $89.62 |
| Price type | Stockatomics monthly benchmark |
| Price month | October 2026 |
| 1-month change | +24.4% |
| 6-month change | +54.6% |
| 1-year change | +59.9% |
| 5-year change | +193.4% |
| 12-month high | $89.62 |
| 12-month low | $55.04 |
| Last updated | 18 October 2026 |

## Price summary

Lithium is trading at a 12-month high of $89.62 per kg contained. Over the past 12 months it has ranged from $55.04 to $89.62 per kg contained. Over one year the price has changed +59.9%, and over five years +193.4%.

## Lithium monthly prices

USD per kg contained, newest first.

| Month | Price | Change |
| --- | --- | --- |
| October 2026 | $89.62 | 0.0% |
| September 2026 | $89.62 | 0.0% |
| August 2026 | $89.62 | +24.4% |
| July 2026 | $72.02 | −15.1% |
| June 2026 | $84.79 | +25.5% |
| May 2026 | $67.58 | +0.3% |
| April 2026 | $67.36 | −0.1% |
| March 2026 | $67.42 | +16.3% |
| February 2026 | $57.98 | +3.4% |
| January 2026 | $56.07 | −3.4% |
| December 2025 | $58.02 | +5.4% |
| November 2025 | $55.04 | −4.1% |
| October 2025 | $57.38 | −2.9% |
| September 2025 | $59.07 | +5.4% |
| August 2025 | $56.06 | −0.8% |
| July 2025 | $56.51 | +0.4% |
| June 2025 | $56.26 | +17.1% |
| May 2025 | $48.05 | −3.3% |
| April 2025 | $49.70 | −2.1% |
| March 2025 | $50.77 | −10.8% |
| February 2025 | $56.90 | +6.0% |
| January 2025 | $53.70 | −11.9% |
| December 2024 | $60.98 | +14.0% |
| November 2024 | $53.49 | −8.2% |
| October 2024 | $58.27 | −4.1% |
| September 2024 | $60.79 | −7.7% |
| August 2024 | $65.88 | +4.0% |
| July 2024 | $63.32 | −0.4% |
| June 2024 | $63.59 | −0.1% |
| May 2024 | $63.68 | −4.1% |
| April 2024 | $66.42 | −14.6% |
| March 2024 | $77.76 | −14.7% |
| February 2024 | $91.20 | +10.5% |
| January 2024 | $82.55 | −0.2% |
| December 2023 | $82.73 | +10.1% |
| November 2023 | $75.15 | +8.8% |
| October 2023 | $69.04 | −7.1% |
| September 2023 | $74.34 | +1.9% |
| August 2023 | $72.97 | −31.6% |
| July 2023 | $106.65 | −35.3% |
| June 2023 | $164.94 | +30.2% |
| May 2023 | $126.71 | +48.7% |
| April 2023 | $85.19 | −3.5% |
| March 2023 | $88.27 | +52.9% |
| February 2023 | $57.72 | −27.9% |
| January 2023 | $80.08 | +2.2% |
| December 2022 | $78.36 | +4.1% |
| November 2022 | $75.27 | +11.3% |
| October 2022 | $67.63 | −22.1% |
| September 2022 | $86.77 | +24.5% |
| August 2022 | $69.69 | +25.9% |
| July 2022 | $55.35 | −6.1% |
| June 2022 | $58.96 | +35.9% |
| May 2022 | $43.40 | +28.6% |
| April 2022 | $33.76 | −27.1% |
| March 2022 | $46.33 | +23.4% |
| February 2022 | $37.55 | +22.2% |
| January 2022 | $30.74 | −9.1% |
| December 2021 | $33.80 | +8.2% |
| November 2021 | $31.25 | +5.3% |
| October 2021 | $29.69 | −3.4% |
| September 2021 | $30.72 | +0.6% |
| August 2021 | $30.55 | −13.2% |
| July 2021 | $35.18 | −5.4% |
| June 2021 | $37.17 | +25.4% |
| May 2021 | $29.64 | −11.8% |
| April 2021 | $33.59 | +13.9% |
| March 2021 | $29.50 | −28.8% |
| February 2021 | $41.42 | +11.9% |
| January 2021 | $37.00 | +11.2% |
| December 2020 | $33.28 | +8.0% |
| November 2020 | $30.82 | −12.6% |
| October 2020 | $35.27 | +14.1% |
| September 2020 | $30.90 | +5.4% |
| August 2020 | $29.32 | −17.0% |
| July 2020 | $35.32 | +9.1% |
| June 2020 | $32.38 | −3.2% |
| May 2020 | $33.44 | +4.4% |
| April 2020 | $32.03 | −7.2% |
| March 2020 | $34.51 | +6.1% |
| February 2020 | $32.53 | −29.1% |
| January 2020 | $45.87 | +24.0% |
| December 2019 | $36.99 | +20.8% |
| November 2019 | $30.61 | −15.2% |
| October 2019 | $36.08 | +5.6% |
| September 2019 | $34.16 | −9.1% |
| August 2019 | $37.60 | −20.5% |
| July 2019 | $47.28 | +34.3% |
| June 2019 | $35.21 | −17.5% |
| May 2019 | $42.69 | −18.5% |
| April 2019 | $52.41 | −3.6% |
| March 2019 | $54.34 | −9.9% |
| February 2019 | $60.34 | +49.4% |
| January 2019 | $40.39 | −35.9% |
| December 2018 | $62.97 | +22.5% |
| November 2018 | $51.42 | −8.7% |
| October 2018 | $56.31 | +24.9% |
| September 2018 | $45.07 | −15.7% |
| August 2018 | $53.44 | +47.6% |
| July 2018 | $36.21 | −3.1% |
| June 2018 | $37.37 | +18.5% |
| May 2018 | $31.53 | −8.6% |
| April 2018 | $34.50 | +5.0% |
| March 2018 | $32.85 | +4.5% |
| February 2018 | $31.43 | +54.3% |
| January 2018 | $20.37 | −9.9% |
| December 2017 | $22.60 | −13.8% |
| November 2017 | $26.22 | +21.2% |
| October 2017 | $21.63 | −27.3% |
| September 2017 | $29.76 | +15.1% |
| August 2017 | $25.86 | +3.0% |
| July 2017 | $25.11 | +7.3% |
| June 2017 | $23.41 | −21.5% |
| May 2017 | $29.82 | +16.9% |
| April 2017 | $25.51 | −13.1% |
| March 2017 | $29.36 | +0.8% |
| February 2017 | $29.13 | +10.0% |
| January 2017 | $26.49 | +3.2% |
| December 2016 | $25.68 | +3.7% |
| November 2016 | $24.76 | −27.2% |
| October 2016 | $33.99 | +21.9% |
| September 2016 | $27.88 | −2.8% |
| August 2016 | $28.69 | +11.3% |
| July 2016 | $25.77 | −0.3% |
| June 2016 | $25.86 | +4.3% |
| May 2016 | $24.79 | +4.2% |
| April 2016 | $23.80 | −11.8% |
| March 2016 | $26.97 | +8.8% |
| February 2016 | $24.79 | −4.6% |
| January 2016 | $25.99 | +0.3% |
| December 2015 | $25.92 | −2.6% |
| November 2015 | $26.60 | +4.0% |
| October 2015 | $25.57 | +5.2% |
| September 2015 | $24.31 | −0.1% |
| August 2015 | $24.34 | +8.7% |
| July 2015 | $22.39 | −2.4% |
| June 2015 | $22.93 | +3.4% |
| May 2015 | $22.18 | −6.6% |
| April 2015 | $23.74 | +5.6% |
| March 2015 | $22.48 | −4.8% |
| February 2015 | $23.62 | −6.3% |
| January 2015 | $25.20 | +7.5% |
| December 2014 | $23.45 | −1.8% |
| November 2014 | $23.88 | −0.8% |
| October 2014 | $24.08 | 0.0% |
| September 2014 | $24.09 | +1.0% |
| August 2014 | $23.85 | −2.4% |
| July 2014 | $24.44 | +2.5% |
| June 2014 | $23.85 | +6.4% |
| May 2014 | $22.41 | −6.6% |
| April 2014 | $24.00 | +10.7% |
| March 2014 | $21.68 | −9.5% |
| February 2014 | $23.95 | −0.2% |
| January 2014 | $23.99 | +3.5% |
| December 2013 | $23.18 | −2.3% |
| November 2013 | $23.73 | +1.1% |
| October 2013 | $23.47 | +13.3% |
| September 2013 | $20.72 | −13.1% |
| August 2013 | $23.83 | +2.5% |
| July 2013 | $23.26 | −1.7% |
| June 2013 | $23.67 | +2.6% |
| May 2013 | $23.07 | −4.4% |
| April 2013 | $24.14 | +11.0% |
| March 2013 | $21.75 | +1.9% |
| February 2013 | $21.35 | −1.4% |
| January 2013 | $21.65 | −3.0% |
| December 2012 | $22.33 | −5.9% |
| November 2012 | $23.72 | +10.7% |
| October 2012 | $21.43 | +8.0% |
| September 2012 | $19.84 | −8.6% |
| August 2012 | $21.71 | +6.9% |
| July 2012 | $20.31 | −2.7% |
| June 2012 | $20.87 | −4.3% |
| May 2012 | $21.80 | −13.0% |
| April 2012 | $25.07 | +7.9% |
| March 2012 | $23.23 | +12.0% |
| February 2012 | $20.75 | −16.8% |
| January 2012 | $24.94 | +10.1% |
| December 2011 | $22.65 | +0.5% |
| November 2011 | $22.53 | −0.8% |
| October 2011 | $22.71 | +0.4% |
| September 2011 | $22.63 | +1.7% |
| August 2011 | $22.26 | +4.0% |
| July 2011 | $21.40 | +1.1% |
| June 2011 | $21.16 | +33.8% |
| May 2011 | $15.81 | −18.6% |
| April 2011 | $19.42 | −6.5% |
| March 2011 | $20.77 | +15.8% |
| February 2011 | $17.94 | −5.0% |
| January 2011 | $18.89 | −3.4% |
| December 2010 | $19.56 | +3.4% |
| November 2010 | $18.91 | −17.1% |
| October 2010 | $22.80 | +4.8% |
| September 2010 | $21.75 | −8.7% |
| August 2010 | $23.82 | +4.6% |
| July 2010 | $22.78 | −43.4% |
| June 2010 | $40.25 | +67.2% |
| May 2010 | $24.07 | +17.6% |
| April 2010 | $20.46 | −15.6% |
| March 2010 | $24.25 | +0.7% |
| February 2010 | $24.09 | +5.9% |
| January 2010 | $22.75 | - |

## What lithium is used for

Lithium (Li) is the lightest metal, and its largest use by far is in **rechargeable lithium-ion batteries**: electric vehicles, phones and laptops, power tools and grid-scale energy storage. Battery makers buy it as lithium carbonate or hydroxide, depending on the cathode chemistry, and the shift between nickel-rich and lithium iron phosphate batteries shapes which form is in demand.

### Other uses

- Ceramics and glass, where it lowers melting temperatures and adds strength
- Lubricating greases that work across a wide temperature range
- Aluminum-lithium alloys for aircraft
- Medicines and air treatment

## Lithium supply and demand factors

Demand for lithium follows battery production, above all for electric vehicles and energy storage, and it has grown faster than almost any other commodity. Supply comes from hard-rock **spodumene** mines, led by Australia, and from **brines** in South America and China, with refining concentrated in China. New supply takes years to build, so the market lurches between shortage and glut: a boom pulls in new mines, which then arrive just as demand slows.

### What moves the price

- Electric vehicle sales and the mix of battery chemistries
- Energy storage installations
- New mine and refinery capacity, and mine closures when prices fall
- Chinese demand and inventory cycles

## Lithium price history

Lithium has had the wildest price history of any battery material. After a first boom in 2016 and 2017, prices slumped, then rose roughly tenfold in 2021 and 2022 as electric vehicle demand outran supply. The collapse that followed in 2023 and 2024 was just as steep, forcing mines in Australia and elsewhere to cut output or close.

Supply discipline in China and closures elsewhere have since steadied the market. As of October 2026, the Stockatomics benchmark price is $89.62 per kg contained.

## Where lithium is produced

Most of the world's lithium is mined in **Australia**, from spodumene, and in **Chile** and **Argentina**, from brines, with China, Zimbabwe and Brazil also major producers. **China** is the largest refiner, converting much of the world's concentrate into chemicals. The United States has small domestic production and several projects in development.

## Why lithium is a critical mineral

Lithium is on the **US critical minerals list** and the **EU critical raw materials list**. Battery supply chains depend on it, demand is rising fast, and mining and especially refining are concentrated in a few countries, with China dominant in chemical processing.

## How the lithium benchmark price is calculated

Stockatomics publishes a monthly US benchmark price for lithium in US dollars per kg contained, reading as of October 2026. The price is per kg of contained lithium, which lets lithium carbonate, hydroxide and other products be compared on the same basis. Most market quotes, by contrast, are per tonne of lithium carbonate or hydroxide.

### Converting the price

- Lithium carbonate contains about 18.8% lithium, so a price per kg of carbonate is about 0.188 times the contained price
- Lithium hydroxide monohydrate contains about 16.5% lithium, so a price per kg of hydroxide is about 0.165 times the contained price
- Per tonne of carbonate: multiply the contained price by 188

## Lithium stocks

| Company | Ticker | Exchange | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Albemarle](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/albemarle-nyse-alb) | ALB | NYSE | Producer |
| [Eramet](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/eramet-epa-eramet) | ERAMET | EPA | Producer |
| [IGO](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/igo-asx-igo) | IGO | ASX | Producer |
| [Liontown Resources](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/liontown-resources-asx-ltr) | LTR | ASX | Producer |
| [Mineral Resources](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/mineral-resources-asx-min) | MIN | ASX | Producer |
| [Pilbara Minerals](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/pilbara-minerals-asx-pls) | PLS | ASX | Producer |
| [Rio Tinto](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/rio-tinto-nyse-rio) | RIO | NYSE | Producer |
| [Sociedad Quimica y Minera](https://www.stockatomics.com/companies/sqm-nyse-sqm) | SQM | NYSE | Producer |

All 8 lithium stocks: https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/lithium-stocks

## FAQ

### What is the price of lithium per kg today?

The Stockatomics US benchmark price of lithium is $89.62 per kg contained as of October 2026. Stockatomics updates it every month.

### What drives the price of lithium?

Mainly battery demand, especially for electric vehicles and energy storage, against new mine and refinery supply, which takes years to build and tends to arrive in waves.

### What is the difference between lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide?

Both are battery-grade lithium chemicals. Carbonate is used mainly in lithium iron phosphate batteries, while hydroxide is preferred for high-nickel cathodes, so the mix of battery chemistries decides which is in demand.

### Where is lithium refined?

China refines most of the chemical grades used in batteries, including much of the spodumene concentrate mined in Australia, although new refineries are being built in Australia, the US and Europe.

### How is the lithium benchmark price calculated?

The Stockatomics benchmark for lithium is a monthly US price in US dollars per kg contained, published every month and current as of October 2026.

## Related commodities

- [Nickel price per kg](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/nickel-price-us): $17.24 per kg contained
- [Copper price per kg](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/copper-price-us): $13.92 per kg contained
- [Gallium price per kg](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/gallium-price-us): $1,530 per kg contained
- [Aluminum price per kg](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/aluminum-price-us): $3.63 per kg contained
- [Boron price per kg](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/boron-price-us): $5.27 per kg contained
- [Manganese price per kg](https://www.stockatomics.com/commodities/manganese-price-us): $0.58 per kg contained

## Sources

- U.S. trade data: the monthly lithium price.
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): the US critical minerals list.
- Company filings: the listed companies and their roles.

Last updated 18 October 2026.