** Shares of lithium miners fall as weaker sales from major electric vehicle manufacturers and escalating Middle East tensions dampened demand prospects

** The most-active lithium carbonate contract on the Guangzhou Futures Exchange fell 12.99% to close daytime trading at 150,860 yuan a metric ton, hovering near its 13% daily limit

** Albemarle ALB.N drops 10.3%, and Chilean miner SQM SQMA.SN falls 12%

** Canadian miners Sigma Lithium SGML.V dips 14.4%, Lithium Americas LAC.TO down 8.2% and Standard Lithium SLI.V falls 7.5%

(Reporting by Dharna Bafna in Bengaluru)

((dharna.bafna@thomsonreuters.com))