Battery cathode materials: Movement
Why most LFP never leaves China while ternary travels
What this tab covers How it moves between countries: share of output traded, physical form and transport, the largest exporters and importers, main routes, India's trade, and handling rules in transit.Trade in 2024 UN Comtrade, HS 284190
World exports $9.03 bn 59 reporting exporters · about 262k t Largest exporter South Korea 68% of world exports Largest importer Poland 36.7% of world imports India imports $26.0 mexports $2.56 m #13 importer · #21 exporter
Where it is exported from and imported to, 2024
Chart: World map of the largest trade flows
Exporter (size = share of world exports) Importer (share of world imports) Shipping chokepoint UN Comtrade 2024, HS 284190: shares of reported world exports and imports by value. Country-to-country route lines are not available for this commodity yet. Hover a circle for values.HS 284190: largest exporters
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | 68% | $6.15 bn | – |
| Japan | 26.2% | $2.37 bn | 89k |
| China | 1.5% | $133.6 m | 41k |
| Poland | 1% | $86.8 m | 4,051 |
| Belgium | 0.7% | $66.7 m | 20k |
| United States | 0.6% | $52.3 m | 56k |
| Germany | 0.5% | $47.2 m | 28k |
| Chile | 0.3% | $28.3 m | 52.0 |
HS 284190: largest importers
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poland | 36.7% | $1.66 bn | 58k |
| South Korea | 25.7% | $1.16 bn | 52k |
| Japan | 8.7% | $393.4 m | 37k |
| Malaysia | 6% | $269.7 m | 17k |
| China | 5.7% | $258.9 m | 12k |
| Hungary | 5.3% | $242.0 m | 8,904 |
| Indonesia | 3.1% | $140.6 m | 14k |
| United States | 1.7% | $75.1 m | 7,617 |
HS 284290: largest exporters
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 81.9% | $2.05 bn | 121k |
| Germany | 4.8% | $120.2 m | 12k |
| Hong Kong | 4% | $100.9 m | 1,711 |
| South Korea | 2.6% | $66.2 m | 24k |
| Japan | 1.6% | $40.8 m | 13k |
| United States | 1.6% | $39.9 m | 8,256 |
| Canada | 0.5% | $13.6 m | 2,223 |
| United Kingdom | 0.5% | $13.6 m | 1,249 |
HS 284290: largest importers
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 80.2% | $2.20 bn | 85k |
| Indonesia | 4.9% | $133.6 m | 8,308 |
| Hong Kong | 3.3% | $90.2 m | 1,661 |
| India | 2.1% | $58.3 m | 14k |
| United States | 1.3% | $34.7 m | 13k |
| France | 0.8% | $22.1 m | 9,384 |
| United Kingdom | 0.6% | $15.8 m | 4,669 |
| South Korea | 0.5% | $13.7 m | 2,463 |
How it moves
| Measure | Figure | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Share traded | small for LFP, most of which is used in China; larger for ternary, which moves from Korea and China to cell plants in Europe, the US and Southeast Asia (indicative) | ||
| How it moves | Dry powder in sealed, moisture-proof bulk bags and drums by container; high-nickel grades are moisture-sensitive and need dry handling | ||
| Routes and chokepoints | China to Korea, Japan, Hungary, Poland and Southeast Asia; Korea to US and European cell plants. HS codes 284190 and 284290. | ||
| India | India imports cathode only for pilot and small cell lines; trade figures under HS 284190 and 284290. HS 284190: India imported $26 million (0.6% of world imports, rank 13) and exported $3 million (0.0% of world exports, rank 21); HS 284290: India imported $58 million (2.1% of world imports, rank 4) and exported $4 million (0.2% of world exports, rank 15) (UN Comtrade 2024). | ||
| Handling in transit | LFP generally not dangerous goods; nickel- and cobalt-containing powders may ship as UN3077 environmentally hazardous solid, class 9 (indicative). |