According to statistics, China produced 395000 tons of lithium carbonate (with a production capacity of about 600000 tons) in 2022, a year-on-year increase of about 32.5 percent, a record high, according to a message released on the Wechat account of the lithium branch of the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association on January 30, Zhitong Financial APP learned.Against the backdrop of rising volume and price of lithium carbonate, a number of lithium salt companies issued a forecast of 2022 results.Data show that on January 31, a total of 16 lithium mining companies issued 2022 results forecasts, of which 15 were increased. Nearly 90% of lithium mining companies are expected to double their performance in 2022.Among them, Rongjie shares (002192.SZ) net profit growth is the fastest, up 3121.58 per cent to 3707.33 per cent year-on-year.

Lithium mining companies that disclose the performance notice generally hand over the bright 2022 "performance notice". Specifically,Tianqi lithium industryIt is estimated that the net profit in 2022 is 23.1 billion yuan to 25.6 billion yuan, an increase of 1011.19% over the same period last year.Ganfeng LithiumIt is estimated that the net profit of 2022 is 18 billion to 22 billion yuan, an increase of 244.27% and 320.78% over the same period last year.Salt Lake sharesIt is estimated that the net profit of returning home in 2022 is 15 billion yuan to 15.6 billion yuan, an increase of 234.94% 248.33% over the same period last year.Rongjie sharesIt is estimated that the net profit of returning to the mother in 2022 will be 2.2 billion yuan to 2.6 billion yuan, an increase of about 3121.58% over the same period last year, an increase of about 3121.58% to 3707.33%. The net profit of deducting the net profit of non-return to the mother is 2.2 billion yuan to 2.6 billion yuan, an increase of about 3373.19% and 4004.68% over the same period last year.

In addition, those who also belong to the lithium industryYahua GroupThe company also announced on the evening of January 18 that the company expects to achieve a net profit of 4.5 billion yuan to 4.7 billion yuan belonging to shareholders of listed companies in 2022, an increase of 380.45% to 401.8% over the same period last year; net profit after deducting non-recurring profits and losses is expected to be 4.46 billion yuan to 4.66 billion yuan, an increase of 385.51% to 407.28%.Tianhua is super clean.The net profit attributed to shareholders of listed companies is expected to be 6.4 billion yuan to 6.8 billion yuan in 2022, an increase of 602.76% to 646.68% over the same period last year.Tibet mining industryThe net profit attributed to shareholders of listed companies is expected to be 650 million yuan to 950 million yuan in 2022, an increase of 363.76% to 577.8% over the same period last year.

For performance growthMany lithium salt manufacturers agree that they mainly benefit from comprehensive factors such as the improvement of global new energy vehicles, the expansion of production by lithium battery enterprises and the increase in orders for cathode materials.According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the production and sales of new energy vehicles in China completed 7.058 million and 6.887 million respectively in 2022, an increase of 96.9% and 93.4% respectively over the same period last year. The strong growth of the new energy vehicle market has greatly increased the demand for lithium carbonate.

While lithium production continues to be released, prices remain at an all-time high.Data show that the domestic price of battery-grade lithium carbonate has continued to rise from about 270000 yuan / ton at the end of 2021 to about 610000 yuan / ton in November 2022, with an annual average price of nearly 500000 yuan / ton, which is about four times higher than the average price in 2021. Lithium concentrate prices also soared from $2500 / ton at the end of 2021 to $5600 / ton at the end of 2022.

A number of industry insiders said that in recent years, with the tightening of carbon emission policies around the world, the policy driver of the new energy vehicle industry has been gradually strengthened, and the sales of new energy vehicles have achieved rapid growth. Lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide are necessary raw materials for downstream of the lithium industry and for the production of end products. As an important raw material for lithium salt products, the demand for lithium ore will also increase with the growth of new energy vehicles and energy storage; while the development cycle of lithium resources is longer, looking at the degree of domestic lithium resources development, the tight supply pattern will continue in the medium term, and enterprises in related industries are expected to continue to benefit.

For future expectationsMany institutions have predicted that lithium prices are expected to rebound after the Spring Festival.. CITIC had previously predicted that lithium prices are expected to stop falling after the Spring Festival, leading to a rebound in the lithium plate. Changjiang Metal believes that with the expected pick-up in demand, lithium prices are expected to rebound after price stress tests. As the inventory of the cathode material factory returned to a low level, it began to rebound again.

However, there are also people in the industry who thinkOverall, lithium prices will continue to fall in 2023.And continue to reduce prices from the second quarter to the fourth quarter, the irrational price of more than 500000 yuan / ton is difficult to continue, and with the rational return of the price is expected to further benefit the overall development of the new energy industry.