Chinese battery maker CATL’s Jianxiawo lithium mine remains pending environmental approval, state media reported on Friday.
The mine, in the city of Yichun in Jiangxi Province, is also undergoing maintenance, and no ore transportation or crushing is taking place, Shanghai Securities News reported, citing the Yifeng County Ecology and Environment Bureau.
CATL has been asked to complete environmental impact assessment approval procedures as soon as possible, the news outlet cited the bureau as saying.
The bureau comments came amid speculation over the mine’s reopening and expectations it could quickly return to full production, Shanghai Securities News reported.
The project’s mineral designation was changed to lithium ore from ceramic clay containing lithium, requiring CATL to prepare a new environmental impact assessment report, which was published for public consultation on July 27.
CATL suspended operations at Jianxiawo in August 2025 after its mining licence expired.
The company obtained a safety production permit on June 29, clearing a key regulatory hurdle towards restarting the mine after a nearly year-long suspension.
The most-active September lithium carbonate contract on the Guangzhou Futures Exchange gained 1.36% as of 0615 GMT. Shares of CATL were little changed, dipping 0.02%.
(Reporting by Joe Cash in Beijing and Dylan Duan in Shanghai; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Christopher Cushing).
