Arcadium Lithium chief executive Paul Graves says Western Australia’s Mt Cattlin mine may have to shut if weak prices persist at a time when the world’s third-biggest lithium company is already slowing growth projects in Canada and South America.

Located near Esperance, Mt Cattlin was cash flow positive in the three months to June. But Mr Graves said prices for its lithium-rich spodumene concentrate had slumped over the past month, adding that few mines were viable with prices below $US1000 a tonne.