China Spodumene Imports: Australia and Rising African Suppliers
China's spodumene import market
China imports · Spodumene · HS25309092 · USD · Data through 2026-09
- Imports · 2026-01–2026-09
- USD 8,768,718,072
- Change from the same months a year earlier
- +180.2%
- Latest month · 2026-09
- USD 1,271,455,833
Source: General Administration of Customs of China
Monthly spodumene imports
China's latest 12 months of spodumene imports, through 2026-09.
USD
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- World
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| Month | World |
|---|---|
| 2026-09 | 1,271,455,833 |
| 2026-08 | 1,182,589,164 |
| 2026-07 | 1,025,057,157 |
| 2026-06 | 1,157,296,309 |
| 2026-05 | 972,356,620 |
| 2026-04 | 922,827,835 |
| 2026-03 | 917,542,981 |
| 2026-02 | 567,036,849 |
| 2026-01 | 752,555,324 |
| 2025-12 | 657,044,199 |
| 2025-11 | 535,000,818 |
| 2025-10 | 387,387,975 |
Which suppliers added the most
Supplier totals for 2026-01–2026-09 compared with the same months of 2025, ranked by the increase in import value.
| Supplier | 2025-01–2025-09 | 2026-01–2026-09 | Increase | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 1,997,489,366 | 5,829,488,536 | 3,831,999,170 | +191.8% |
| Mali | 54,595,970 | 630,671,694 | 576,075,724 | +1,055.2% |
| Nigeria | 236,056,770 | 678,114,684 | 442,057,914 | +187.3% |
| Zimbabwe | 479,408,807 | 859,336,080 | 379,927,273 | +79.2% |
| South Africa | 90,259,179 | 355,259,776 | 265,000,597 | +293.6% |
Latest suppliers
Australia led in 2026-09, supplying USD 870,371,239, or 68.5% of China's spodumene import value.
| Supplier | Import value (USD) | Value share |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 870,371,239 | 68.5% |
| Zimbabwe | 201,729,164 | 15.9% |
| Nigeria | 121,035,519 | 9.5% |
| South Africa | 45,143,031 | 3.6% |
| Brazil | 30,359,788 | 2.4% |
Supplier shares by year
| Supplier | 2026 YTD | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 66.5% | 62.2% |
| Zimbabwe | 9.8% | 15.4% |
| Nigeria | 7.7% | 7.3% |
| Mali | 7.2% | 4% |
Annual import spending
| Period | Import value (USD) | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-01–2026-09 | 8,768,718,072 | +180.2% |
| 2025-01–2025-12 | 4,709,446,941 | — |
Spodumene, HS25309092. Import value in USD; lithium content and concentrate grade are not measured.
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Suggested citation: China Data Portal. “China Spodumene Imports: Australia and Rising African Suppliers.” https://chinadata.live/insights/china-spodumene-imports/. Source: General Administration of Customs of China.
Australia leads while African suppliers add value
China's spodumene imports have two layers. Australia remains the largest supplier, while several African origins have added substantial import value within a year. The supplier increase table compares the same months of the current and previous year, so a new supplier can be judged by the value it adds, not only by its growth rate.
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Read new suppliers by cargo, not by month
Newer suppliers can ship in irregular bulk cargoes, so a supplier may be absent from one month's ranking even while its year-to-date total grows. Compare the latest monthly suppliers with the year-to-date increases before treating one month as a trend.
Spodumene imports by country
Use the spodumene import data to compare Australia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Mali and other origins. For the wider supply chain, read the critical minerals study or lithium-ion battery exports.
This study covers China's customs line HS25309092, spodumene, whose records begin in 2025. The figures measure import value in USD; they do not measure lithium content, concentrate grade or the mine of origin.
Explore China spodumene imports by country
Compare monthly values, suppliers and import growth for this customs line.