Australian lithium shares put an end to speculation on Monday that Chinese battery manufacturer Carl closed the Jianxiafu mine in China, which produces materials used in electric car batteries. Shares of Pilbara Minerals, Australia's largest pure lithium producer, rose 4.9%, while Liontown Resources rose 7.7% on the back of the optimistic mood of Australian resource companies. Jianxiao produces lepidolite, which is an expensive form of lithium. The Cats did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Cats are reluctant to continue lithium carbonate production below 95,000 yuan per ton (~13,000 dollars per ton), " Parenzo said in a statement on Friday. The mine, which will provide 3% of global supplies, will move the market from a 1% surplus to a 2% deficit of about 20,000 units by 2024, the report said. In Australia on Monday, developers saw 6% growth in Patriot battery metals, 5.8% in Wildcat resources, and 7.7% in Sayona mining. Given that pilipanga is the largest reserve of this metal, investors considered this an indirect reason for the slowdown in demand for electric cars. Lachlan Shaw, an analyst at UBS, said that it is not uncommon for companies in China to close or slow down during the Chinese New Year holidays. "If the closure of Jian Xiaowu is confirmed, and this closure is temporarily justified from an economic point of view for the Chinese New Year, then this will be an important step in the necessary rebalancing of the market, which we are striving for," said Xu from Melbourne." The big question is whether the world's largest battery manufacturer, which is growing rapidly, will close the entire integrated lithium mine when lithium prices approach parity, according to UPS.