CATL’s Jianxiawo lithium mine loses environmental approval

Regulators have revoked the environmental approval for the Jianxiawo lithium mine in China, the largest of its kind by capacity, forcing the facility into care and maintenance. Operated by CATL, the mine has an annual nameplate capacity approaching 150,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE).

Benchmark Mineral Intelligence has significantly downgraded its 2026 output forecast for the site, reducing it from 62,500 tonnes to 32,000 tonnes of LCE. This reduction reflects both lost production during the shutdown and the risk that the environmental impact assessment process could extend into 2027. While a safety production permit is valid until February 2028, mining cannot resume without the necessary environmental certification.

The disruption follows a brief, informal restart in July that reportedly bypassed unresolved disputes regarding the mine’s tailings pond, leading to formal complaints and forcing the operator back into the environmental review process.