Rio Tinto: Lithium salt production in Q1 2026 affected by weather disruptions

Rio Tinto’s latest financial report shows that in the first quarter of 2026, lithium salt production reached 12.7k tons LCE, with the full-year lithium carbonate production guidance maintained at 61,000-64k tons LCE. Among the company’s three major operating projects, the Olaroz project is under pressure due to heavy rainfall at the beginning of the year and subsequent low evaporation rates; the Fenix project, although also affected by weather factors, has a relatively limited impact; the Rincon project, with an initial capacity of 3,000 tons per year, continues to ramp up production, partially offsetting the disruptions caused by weather. Additionally, the Fenix 1B and Sal de Vida projects have completed mechanical commissioning as planned, with the first batch of production progressing smoothly, and are expected to come online in the second half of 2026. (My Steel Network)