Argentina Lithium Carbonate Export Market -- HS Code 283691 Trade Data & Price Trend (Aug 2025)

Argentina Lithium Carbonate Export (HS 283691) Key Takeaways

Argentina's Lithium Carbonate exports under HS Code 283691 surged to $68.49 million in August 2025, rebounding from July’s halt, signaling volatile but recovering demand. The trade is entirely concentrated in bulk-grade Lithium Carbonate, a fungible commodity tied to global pricing, with no product diversification. China dominates as the premium buyer, accounting for 76.78% of export value, while high-yield markets like South Korea and the U.S. pay top prices for specialized grades. This analysis, covering August 2025, is based on cleanly processed customs data from the yTrade database.

Argentina Lithium Carbonate Export (HS 283691) Background

What is HS Code 283691?

HS Code 283691 refers to Carbonates; lithium carbonate, a critical industrial chemical primarily used in lithium-ion batteries, ceramics, and glass manufacturing. Its demand is driven by the global shift toward electric vehicles and renewable energy storage, making it a strategically significant commodity. Argentina's lithium carbonate export is a key component of its mining sector, leveraging the country's vast lithium reserves in the "Lithium Triangle."

Current Context and Strategic Position

According to INDEC, Argentina's merchandise exports, including lithium carbonate, showed growth in the first half of 2025. This aligns with the country's push to expand its role in the global lithium market, capitalizing on rising demand for battery materials. Argentina's lithium carbonate export under HS Code 283691 is poised to benefit from both domestic production increases and international supply chain diversification efforts. Given its strategic reserves and competitive pricing, Argentina remains a focal point for trade analysts monitoring hs code 283691 trade data. Vigilance is essential as market dynamics evolve amid shifting energy policies and geopolitical factors.

Argentina Lithium Carbonate Export (HS 283691) Price Trend

Key Observations

In August 2025, Argentina's Lithium Carbonate exports under hs code 283691 reached 68.49 million USD, signaling a recovery from the previous month's complete halt in activity.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The Argentina Lithium Carbonate Export trend exhibited significant volatility through 2025, with values peaking early in the year before declining sharply in May and June, then collapsing to zero in July. The rebound in August suggests a possible supply chain or logistical correction, aligning with broader export growth noted in Argentine trade data for the first half of 2025 [INDEC]. This pattern may reflect sector-specific factors like production scheduling or evolving global battery demand, rather than macroeconomic shifts.

Argentina Lithium Carbonate Export (HS 283691) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

According to yTrade data, Argentina's export under HS Code 283691 in August 2025 is fully specialized in a single product: Lithium Carbonate. This sub-code accounts for the entire export value of 68.49 million USD, with no other products recorded. Unit price data is not available, which limits direct analysis of price specialization, but this concentration indicates a focused trade in a key commodity.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

With only one product category present, the structure is simple and points to Lithium Carbonate being traded as a bulk chemical commodity. This suggests it is likely fungible, with grades standardized for industrial use, and its pricing is probably tied to global commodity indices rather than being highly differentiated by value-add stages.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

The high concentration in a single commodity implies that Argentina's export strategy for HS Code 283691 relies on scale and market demand for lithium. Exporters may have moderate pricing power influenced by global supply chains, but they should focus on cost efficiency and market timing due to the commodity nature of the product.

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Argentina Lithium Carbonate Export (HS 283691) Destination Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

China dominates Argentina's Lithium Carbonate exports for August 2025, taking 76.78% of the total export value. This share is significantly higher than its 67.72% quantity share, indicating China is paying a premium per kilogram. This gap points to strong Chinese demand for higher-grade or processed forms of this key battery raw material, which aligns with its massive electric vehicle supply chain needs.

Destination Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The remaining buyers form two clear clusters. The first is a high-yield cluster, consisting of South Korea and the United States. They account for 8.19% and 5.49% of the total value, respectively, despite very low shipment volumes, suggesting they are paying top prices for specialized, high-purity product. The second is a volume cluster, led by Indonesia, which has a 9.53% quantity share. This indicates large-volume purchases, likely for local processing or battery manufacturing. A final group, including Japan and several European nations, engages in smaller, transactional purchases.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

Argentina's export strategy for Lithium Carbonate should continue to prioritize the high-value Chinese market while also cultivating relationships with premium buyers like South Korea. To capture more value, Argentina could explore local refining to directly supply these high-yield partners with processed battery-grade material, moving further up the supply chain. For bulk buyers like Indonesia, optimizing logistics for large-volume shipments will be key to maintaining competitiveness.

Table: Argentina Lithium Carbonate (HS 283691) Top Destination Countries (Source: yTrade)

Get Complete Destination Countries Profile

Action Plan for Lithium Carbonate Market Operation and Expansion

• Prioritize premium contracts with high-value buyers like South Korea and the U.S. using hs code 283691 trade data to identify their exact specifications. This will increase the per-unit revenue for Argentina's Lithium Carbonate Export by catering to markets that pay more for higher purity.
• Diversify the buyer portfolio by targeting emerging battery manufacturing hubs in Southeast Asia with competitive bulk pricing. This reduces over-reliance on a single dominant market and stabilizes the overall Lithium Carbonate supply chain against demand shocks.
• Invest in local processing capabilities to produce battery-grade material directly. Moving up the value chain allows Argentina to capture more margin and become a strategic supplier, not just a raw material exporter.
• Optimize logistics and shipping contracts for large-volume buyers like Indonesia to reduce unit costs. Improving efficiency in the Lithium Carbonate supply chain secures competitiveness for bulk orders and protects market share.
• Continuously monitor hs code 283691 trade data for shifts in global pricing and new buyer entry patterns. This enables proactive strategy adjustments to capitalize on new premium opportunities and mitigate commodity price volatility risks.

Take Action Now —— Explore Argentina Lithium Carbonate Export Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Argentina Lithium Carbonate Export 2025 August?

Argentina's Lithium Carbonate exports rebounded to 68.49 million USD in August 2025 after a July collapse, likely due to supply chain corrections or shifts in global battery demand rather than macroeconomic factors.

Q2. Who are the main destination countries of Argentina Lithium Carbonate (HS Code 283691) 2025 August?

China dominates with 76.78% of export value, followed by South Korea (8.19%) and the U.S. (5.49%). Indonesia is a key volume buyer with 9.53% of shipments.

Q3. Why does the unit price differ across destination countries of Argentina Lithium Carbonate Export?

China pays a premium per kilogram, while South Korea and the U.S. buy high-purity grades at top prices. Indonesia’s large-volume purchases suggest lower unit costs for bulk industrial use.

Q4. What should exporters in Argentina focus on in the current Lithium Carbonate export market?

Prioritize China’s high-value market and premium buyers like South Korea, while optimizing logistics for bulk shipments to Indonesia. Local refining could capture more value.

Q5. What does this Argentina Lithium Carbonate export pattern mean for buyers in partner countries?

Chinese buyers secure bulk supply for EV production, while South Korea and the U.S. access specialized grades. Indonesia benefits from steady volume for processing.

Q6. How is Lithium Carbonate typically used in this trade flow?

It serves as a key raw material for lithium-ion batteries, particularly in electric vehicles and energy storage systems, traded as a standardized bulk chemical commodity.