There is lithium price in China and lithium price for the rest...

There is lithium price in China and lithium price for the rest of the world.. With that said if you had a product that received more money in China you would sell it there.

Any lithium exports from China have a tax of 15% on top.

Recent prices for spot have been up around ¥155,000 chinese yuan (AUD $30900).

The price on contract varies but those contracts tend to go quarterly or monthly. Plus even if a company has one of the various forms of lithium to sell they don't like to sell it until they receive their next lot because the price has kept jumping up which means the income from one sale may not cover the next purchase.

Most feedstock (spodumene) producers have not come online when they were expected to. Some closed down and reopened later. - Mt Cattlin was one of those mines. This in combination with more demand for the various applications has placed a great deal of upward pressure on the price producers can ask for.