Arcadium Lithium
Arcadium Lithium is a vertically integrated global lithium chemicals producer (spodumene, carbonate, hydroxide, metal) serving EV makers, battery cell producers, and solid-state battery developers across four continents, acquired by Rio Tinto for $6.7 billion in March 2025.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2024
- HeadquartersBuenos Aires, Argentina
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Arcadium Lithium does
Arcadium Lithium plc is a vertically integrated global lithium chemicals producer formed in 2024 through the merger of Livent and Allkem, and acquired by Rio Tinto in March 2025 for approximately $6.7 billion — the largest M&A transaction in lithium market history. Following the acquisition, Rio Tinto became the third-largest lithium producer globally, with reserves and resources more than double those of Albemarle Corp. The company produces spodumene concentrate, lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, and lithium metal for sale primarily to EV manufacturers, battery cell producers, and next-generation solid-state battery developers.
The company's core technology spans brine-based lithium extraction from salt lake deposits in Argentina's Lithium Triangle (Salta, Jujuy, Catamarca, Rincon) and hard-rock spodumene mining and concentration in Western Australia and Quebec. Processing assets include a lithium hydroxide plant in Bécancour, Québec (Nemaska Lithium, 53.9% Rio Tinto / 46.1% Investissement Québec), the Whabouchi spodumene mine in Eeyou Istchee James Bay, Nevada operations, and a lithium metal pilot facility in Ontario acquired from Li-Metal Corp. in August 2024 for $11 million. Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology is referenced for future Chile projects with ENAMI and Codelco, though commercial-scale deployment remains unproven.
Arcadium operates as a B2B commodity supplier with an enterprise field sales motion, selling directly to battery manufacturers and EV producers including Tesla. Revenue is generated through one-time sales contracts and long-term supply agreements for lithium compounds. Pricing follows volatile commodity markets: spodumene concentrate traded at approximately $840/tonne near multi-year lows in late 2025, down nearly 90% from the late-2022 peak. Production capacity is targeted at 61,000 metric tons in 2026, scaling to 200,000 metric tons by 2028 through expansion of Arcadium assets and new projects across four continents.
Arcadium Lithium firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Arcadium Lithium
- Legal name
- Arcadium Lithium plc
- Website
- https://arcadiumlithium.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2024
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Arcadium Lithium is a vertically integrated global lithium chemicals producer (spodumene, carbonate, hydroxide, metal) serving EV makers, battery cell producers, and solid-state battery developers across four continents, acquired by Rio Tinto for $6.7 billion in March 2025.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Arcadium Lithium industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Lithium Chemicals and Battery Materials
- NAICS
- Chemical Manufacturing (325), Basic Chemical Manufacturing (3251)
- SIC
- Metal Mining (1000), Industrial Inorganic Chemicals (2810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Battery Raw Materials Mining & Refining (Lithium, Nickel, Cobalt, Manganese, Graphite) (EUAFABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Lithium Mining & Brine Extraction (IMAKAFAA), Battery-Grade Chemical Processing (LiOH/Li2CO3, Ni/Co Sulfates, Mn Sulfate) (IMAKAFAI), Solid-State Battery Materials & Cell Manufacturing (EUAFABAH)
Keywords
Where Arcadium Lithium is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Buenos Aires
- HQ country
- Argentina
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices9 records
Markets served
Arcadium Lithium business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Lithium compound sales: Sale of processed lithium products including spodumene concentrate, lithium hydroxide, lithium carbonate, and specialty lithium compounds to battery manufacturers and EV companies. Primary revenue driver for Arcadium and core strategic rationale for Rio Tinto's acquisition.
- Lithium metal production: Following the acquisition of Li-Metal's lithium metal business, Arcadium produces lithium metal for next-generation battery anodes and specialized industrial applications, supported by a long-term supply agreement.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels2 records
Arcadium Lithium product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Arcadium Lithium produces lithium compounds including spodumene concentrate, lithium hydroxide, lithium carbonate, and lithium metal from both brine sources (Argentina's Lithium Triangle) and hard rock deposits (Australia, Canada). The company supplies battery-grade lithium chemicals to electric vehicle manufacturers and battery cell producers globally, with mining and processing operations across four continents. Following its March 2025 acquisition by Rio Tinto, Arcadium operates as part of a vertically integrated lithium production platform serving the global energy transition.
Product overview
Arcadium Lithium is a lithium mining and production company created from the 2023 merger of Livent and Allkem. The company produces lithium products including lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, lithium metal, and spodumene concentrate across operations in Argentina, Australia, Canada, and Chile. In August 2024, Arcadium acquired Li-Metal Corp.'s lithium metal business for $11 million, including intellectual property and a pilot production facility in Ontario, Canada. The company was subsequently acquired by Rio Tinto in March 2025 for approximately $6.7 billion.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Spodumene Concentrate
Quantifiable outcome
- Third-largest global lithium producer with reserves and resources more than double Albemarle Corp.'s
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Arcadium Lithium
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Arcadium Lithium technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Arcadium Lithium partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.
- Li-Metal Corp.minorArcadium acquired Li-Metal's lithium metal business for $11 million including intellectual property, assets, and a long-term supply agreement, enhancing production capabilities for next-generation battery materials. The deal included a pilot production facility in Ontario, Canada.
- Investissement QuébeccoreInvestissement Québec holds a 46.1% minority stake in Nemaska Lithium, with Rio Tinto holding 53.9% following the Arcadium acquisition. Rio Tinto plans to invest over US$300 million in 2026 in its Quebec lithium business. The Quebec government is expected to inject $200 million into the company.
- ENAMI (Chile)flagshipRio Tinto signed binding agreement with Chile's state-owned mining company ENAMI to jointly develop the Salares Altoandinos lithium brine project. Rio Tinto leads design, construction, operation and sales, with parties sharing development equally.
- Codelco (Chile)flagshipRio Tinto signed binding agreement with Chile's state-owned copper producer Codelco to jointly develop the Maricunga lithium brine project. Rio Tinto investing up to $900 million for just under half the project, leading design and construction with majority on technical committee before moving to 50-50 split once production begins. Project targets commissioning in the 2030s.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Arcadium Lithium competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Albemarle Corporation: World's largest dedicated lithium producer, producing lithium carbonate, hydroxide, and spodumene from brine and hard rock assets. Directly competes with Arcadium/Rio Tinto for global battery-grade lithium offtake and EV supply contracts.
- SQM (Sociedad Química y Minera): Major Chilean lithium brine producer with significant lithium carbonate and hydroxide capacity from Salar de Atacama. Directly comparable to Arcadium's Argentine brine footprint and competes for the same lithium chemical customer base.
- Ganfeng Lithium: One of China's largest vertically integrated lithium producers spanning resources, conversion chemicals, and batteries. Competes with Arcadium in global battery-grade lithium supply and has been acquiring upstream resource stakes worldwide.
- Tianqi Lithium: Chinese lithium chemicals producer with significant stakes in greenfield lithium assets and battery-grade hydroxide capacity. Competes directly with Arcadium in serving global EV and battery manufacturer supply agreements.
- Pilbara Minerals: Australian hard rock spodumene producer operating the Pilgangoora asset. Overlaps with Arcadium's Australian hard rock footprint (Mt Cattlin, Galaxy) and competes in spodumene concentrate and downstream conversion.
- Mineral Resources Limited: Australian hard rock lithium miner and toll-conversion operator via the Mt Marion joint venture. Comparable to Arcadium in spodumene mining and downstream processing for global battery customers.
- IGO Limited: Australian diversified miner with a significant stake in the Greenbushes lithium operation, the world's largest hard rock lithium mine. Competes with Arcadium's Australian hard rock assets for spodumene and downstream chemicals offtake.
Emerging players
- Lithium Americas: North and South American lithium developer with Thacker Pass (Nevada) and Cauchari-Olaroz (Argentina) assets. Directly comparable in geography, though earlier-stage and pre-commercial relative to Arcadium's production base.
- Piedmont Lithium: North American-focused lithium developer targeting spodumene and conversion capacity to serve the U.S. EV supply chain. Competes with Arcadium's Quebec/Nevada footprint in attracting IRA-aligned offtake partners.
- Standard Lithium: North American DLE technology developer with Arkansas and Smackover projects. Comparable to Arcadium's Maricunga DLE partnership as a competing pathway to commercial-scale lithium extraction from brine resources.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Arcadium Lithium social profiles
Digital presenceArcadium Lithium financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Arcadium Lithium leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Arcadium Lithium subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Arcadium Lithium funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Arcadium Lithium M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A5 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Arcadium Lithium
What does Arcadium Lithium do?
Arcadium Lithium produces lithium compounds including spodumene concentrate, lithium hydroxide, lithium carbonate, and lithium metal from both brine sources (Argentina's Lithium Triangle) and hard rock deposits (Australia, Canada). The company supplies battery-grade lithium chemicals to electric vehicle manufacturers and battery cell producers globally, with mining and processing operations across four continents. Following its March 2025 acquisition by Rio Tinto, Arcadium operates as part of a vertically integrated lithium production platform serving the global energy transition.
Is Arcadium Lithium a public or private company?
Arcadium Lithium is a public company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Arcadium Lithium founded?
Arcadium Lithium was founded in 2024. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Arcadium Lithium based?
Arcadium Lithium is headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the Latin America region.
How does Arcadium Lithium make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Lithium compound sales are the primary driver. The others are lithium metal production.
Who are Arcadium Lithium's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Albemarle Corporation, SQM (Sociedad Química y Minera), Ganfeng Lithium, Tianqi Lithium, Pilbara Minerals, Mineral Resources Limited and IGO Limited. Emerging players are Lithium Americas, Piedmont Lithium and Standard Lithium.
Does Arcadium Lithium have an API?
No public API is recorded for Arcadium Lithium.
What industry is Arcadium Lithium in?
Arcadium Lithium's product category is Lithium Chemicals and Battery Materials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAFABAA, Battery Raw Materials Mining & Refining (Lithium, Nickel, Cobalt, Manganese, Graphite), with a secondary code of IMAKAFAA, Lithium Mining & Brine Extraction. Its NAICS code is 325 and its SIC code is 1000.