In April 2026, China's cobalt sulfate production reached 14,128 tonnes, representing a month-on-month decrease of 13.94% and a year-on-year decrease of 36.11%. During April, domestic cobalt sulfate raw material supply remained tight, coupled with weakening demand from ternary precursor producers and Co3O4 manufacturers, leading to a decline in output from Chinese cobalt sulfate producers.
In May 2026, China's cobalt sulfate production is projected to reach 14,943 tonnes, representing an increase of 5.77% but a year-on-year decrease of 7.86%. In May, downstream demand for cobalt sulfate is expected to remain weak and operating rates of smelters are already at historically low levels. Some smelters are procuring recycled materials for toll processing, while most smelters are maintaining production capacities similar to April levels. Therefore, cobalt sulfate production in May is expected to see a modest and stable increase.
Source: Mysteel
Edited by Cassie Li, lixiangying@mysteel.com
