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Battery Material Mining in Australia - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Ryan Tan Ryan Tan Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: December 2024 ANZSIC OD5541

Revenue

$6.3bn

2024-25

$6.3bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$X.Xbn

Employees

6,929

Businesses

26

Wages

$XXX.Xm

Battery Material Mining in Australia industry analysis

The global adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), driven by environmental consciousness, advances in battery technology, and declining prices, has accelerated demand for battery materials, especially lithium. This growing need is reflected in elevated lithium prices, triggering an upsurge in lithium production and exploration activities. However, because of oversupply, lithium prices have plunged from their peak in 2022-23, adversely impacting battery material miners' revenue and profitability in the two years through 2024-25. Australian lithium miners are moving downstream, refining spodumene concentrate into pure lithium products like lithium hydroxide to capture more value. Overall, industry revenue has grown at an annualised 29.1% over the past five years to $6.3 billion. This includes a plunge of 38.5% in 2024-25, as lithium export prices continue to plummet.

Trends and Insights

  • Electric vehicle (EV) adoption significantly contributes to the surge in global lithium demand and price hikes. This is driven by environmental awareness, technological advancements and policy shifts in various countries.
  • Lithium dominates the industry’s product mix. Surging prices and project expansions have seen lithium become the main source of industry revenue.
  • Most industry activity is in Western Australia, where all operating lithium mines, except for the Finniss Lithium Project are located. Some cobalt is produced as a by-product at copper or nickel mines in other states.
  • Market share concentration is rising. The large lithium producers have increasingly dominated the industry, with surging prices and growing production volumes.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 29.1 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $6.3bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Electric vehicle (EV) adoption is driving lithium demand and prices higher

  • Global demand for batteries is rising in line with EV adoption. According to data from the International Energy Agency (IEA), global EV sales have soared, accounting for around 20% of new global car sales in 2023. EVs have also accounted for approximately 7% of total vehicle sales in 2023. EV batteries require around 8-10kg of lithium.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Battery Material Mining in Australia
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Growth in electric vehicle uptake is set to continue but lithium prices will continue moderating

  • Lithium is on track to continue to dominate the industry's product mix, although lithium prices are set to moderate as more projects come online globally and supply shortages ease. For instance, spodumene export prices are expected to plunge by 70% in the two years through 2024-25 after reaching their peak in 2022-23.

Biggest companies in the Battery Material Mining in Australia

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue ($m)
2025
Windfield Holdings
2,874.3
Pilbara Minerals
1,502.0
Mineral Resources
723.6

To view the market share and analysis for all 5 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Battery Material Mining in Australia
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Lithium, Cobalt and Other minerals. Lithium is the largest segment of the Battery Material Mining in Australia.

Trends and Insights

Global demand and domestic production of lithium have soared

  • Lithium is a critical element in lithium-ion batteries, which power consumer electronics, electric vehicles and battery storage facilities.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Industry companies primarily mine the ores required for battery manufacturing, including lithium, cobalt and other elements. These firms also conduct basic processing tasks like crushing and screening the mined ores to separate valuable minerals from the rock.

What's included in this industry?

LithiumCobaltGraphiteVanadium

Companies

Windfield HoldingsPilbara MineralsMineral Resources

Purchase this report to view all 5 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

LI-IONNEW ENERGY VEHICLES (Nevs)SPODUMENE

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 0990 - Battery Material Mining in Australia

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Electric vehicle (EV) adoption significantly contributes to the surge in global lithium demand and price hikes. This is driven by environmental awareness, technological advan...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Lithium dominates the industry’s product mix. Surging prices and project expansions have seen lithium become the main source of industry revenue.

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Most industry activity is in Western Australia, where all operating lithium mines, except for the Finniss Lithium Project are located. Some cobalt is produced as a by-product...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Market share concentration is rising. The large lithium producers have increasingly dominated the industry, with surging prices and growing production volumes.

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Lithium producers are dominating the industry. With lithium prices soaring, all major players are now lithium producers, with cobalt producers losing market share.

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Windfield Holdings's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Pilbara Minerals's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Mineral Resources's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 2 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Windfield Holdings, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Pilbara Minerals, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Mineral Resources, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 2 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Environmental pressure from stakeholders is rising. EV uptake and the energy transition are driving demand for battery materials. Pressure is also being placed on miners to r...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Margins are rising in line with prices and production volumes. Although lithium prices plunged after hitting their peak in the first half of 2022-23. they remain elevated and...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Battery Material Mining industry in Australia in 2024?

The market size of the Battery Material Mining industry in Australia is $6.3bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Battery Material Mining in Australia industry in 2024?

There are 26 businesses in the Battery Material Mining industry in Australia, which has grown at a CAGR of 2.5 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Battery Material Mining industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Battery Material Mining industry in Australia has been growing at a CAGR of 29.1 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Battery Material Mining industry in Australia over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Battery Material Mining industry in Australia is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Battery Material Mining market in Australia?

The biggest companies operating in the Battery Material Mining market in Australia are Windfield Holdings, Pilbara Minerals and Mineral Resources

What does the Battery Material Mining in Australia include?

Lithium and Cobalt are part of the Battery Material Mining industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Battery Material Mining in Australia?

The company holding the most market share in Australia is Windfield Holdings.

How competitive is the Battery Material Mining industry in Australia?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Battery Material Mining industry in Australia.

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Competitors

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Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Australia include:

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.