In the past few years, there has been a lot of upheaval in the materials market and to my eye, one of the most volatile has been the price of lithium carbonate.
My memory is that a pound of ceramic-grade lithium carb cost about $17 in 2019. Recently, I have seen prices as high as $80 or $90 a pound. Fearful that the price was only going to go higher, I bought a few pounds in summer of 2024 at around $75 a pound. But by fall of 2024, prices had started dropping again, particularly at one supplier, Sheffield Pottery.
I can’t claim to know what will happen with lithium carb prices in the future, but I do know that they currently vary widely. This price tracker was created to identify the best places to shop for lithium carbonate and it will be updated every six months or so. Most vendors will have slightly cheaper prices when buying in bulk, but the chart below shows the price if ordering just 1 pound.
Lithium Carbonate Price Tracker
| Supplier | Jan '25 Price | Shopping Link |
|---|---|---|
| Sheffield Pottery 1 lb | $33.60 | Sheffield |
| U.S. Pigment 1 lb | $50.00 | U.S. Pigment |
| Paul Brown Art Supply 1 lb (eBay vendor) | $54.00 | Paul Brown |
| Clay King 1 lb | $57.37 | Clay King |
| Axner 1 lb Fine Grade (*Min order 5 lbs) | $75.10 | Axner |
| Ceramic Shop 1 lb | $76.40 | Ceramic Shop |
| Clay Planet 1 lb | $78.10 | Clay Planet |
| Krueger Ceramic Supply 1 lb | $87.35 | Krueger |
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This chart is by no means comprehensive, but I sought to find a variety of vendors from around the United States. If you know of a vendor that should be added, especially one that has prices that would be in the “top 5” in regards to price, let me know via a comment or email.
