The article discusses the prices of various minerals in May 2017, focusing on lithium, graphite, chromite, alumina, fluorspar, magnesia, antimony trioxide, rare earths, and silicon carbide. The booming battery sector in China is driving domestic spot trading, with lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide prices ranging from $18-24/kg. Prices have fluctuated due to market demand and slow buying activity. Silicon carbide prices in Europe are also being assessed twice a month.