BK6N- Good post - although hes talking his book - his story of...

BK6N- Good post - although hes talking his book - his story of Chinas manipulation seems to be very true - its exactly what my European cobalt trader friends are saying. Chinese are by far the biggest buyer today and want to control it keep it lower to keep Batteries competitive plus to disincentivise investment in alternate technologies .

Chinese Govt banks are clamping down on credit lines to cobalt buyers to limit their ability to stockpile.

They are forcing down prices on the market by for example doing direct trades for 90% of the cobalt they need (not reporting it) then doing another for 10% (often between Chinese companies) at a lower price and then reporting that to Metals bulletin and other publications for the optics. you dont have to report every trade price its still voluntary

They are selling their worst crap on LME so real people dont want to buy there as it's a delivery market (as in buyers have to take what they get delivered ) thats why people arent buying so much there.- nor even going in to arb as they get crap. of course youll deliver your worst Co if its an open delivery market.

maybe their so called block chain/ licencing and and know your seller policy that LME is talking about implementing (bit not doing yet) may improve that.

But Chinese are also selling less to US becuase of Trumps high trade Tariffs on Co so that also doesnt help (so hes not blameless) but at least he is trying to confront them.

But as demand for EV's and green power and Li batteries and new planes and medical equipment etc etc...keeps climbing as it is the demand will eventually pop the price up. I believe Nobody can hold a global market down if it really wants to go up.

I agree with him that just like Iron Ore before it will suddenly just pop and hopefully so then will CLA and the other Cobalts.

Its only ongoing supply growth from DRC that can stop it. They ramped up production big time this year but from my reserach thats mainly from two one off events of two big mines comming back online due to the higher price - But I have to believe that they cant do that each year of just keep growing supply expodentially like the demand at these lower prices for Co Cu na d Nikel. (I friggin hope!!)

I hear the Artisanal cobalt there is sold to the main Chinese buyers for just USD 17.50 per lb today!!.= 38,500 USd a ton. How can those desperate day rate poor miners who need food for their families just to eat tomorrow fight against that without proper international or DRC govt assistance (which aint commin yet)