Shandong Zhuocheng Has Expanded into Australian Spodumene
The chemical firm is introducing its proprietary lithium flotation reagents to the Australian mining market.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Chemistry
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Chemical supplier Shandong Zhuocheng has announced an expansion of its spodumene collector operations into the Australian lithium market. The company utilizes a specialized one mine, one product policy to optimize recovery rates for lithium miners.
Why it matters
Traditional flotation methods often struggle with complex mineral compositions, and increasing regulatory pressure now demands higher extraction efficiency. By replacing oleic acid-based collectors with tailored chemical mixes, the company seeks to eliminate desliming while maximizing yields.
The company produces 100,000 tonnes of flotation reagents annually across 27 African and 90 Chinese projects. Pilot testing at the Goulamina mine increased lithium oxide concentrate content from 4.8% to 5.26%.
The players
Shandong Zhuocheng
This chemical supplier produces flotation reagents for the lithium mining industry and maintains ISO 9001, 45001, and 14001 certifications.
Liu Jianjun
He is the founder of the chemical firm Shandong Zhuocheng, which he established in 1995.
The details
Shandong Zhuocheng adapts its chemical mixtures based on specific ore body composition, a departure from traditional industry reliance on standardized oleic acid collectors. This approach allows the company to reach higher concentration levels, such as the 5.2% lithium oxide achieved at the Manono project in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Timeline
1995: Liu Jianjun founded Shandong Zhuocheng.
2005: The company developed specific collectors for lepidolite projects.
2015: Development began on collectors for the spodumene industry.
October 2026: A feature article regarding the firm was published in Australian Mining.
Deeper Dive
This move follows the documented industry trend of shifting away from generic oleic acid-based flotation collectors in lithium spodumene processing. By adopting custom reagent mixtures, the company aims to replace legacy methods that are increasingly incapable of meeting modern efficiency standards.
The adoption of these tailored reagents could tangibly increase lithium yields for mining operations, potentially lowering production costs for battery-grade materials. This shift may also assist mining companies in meeting stricter environmental regulations regarding chemical consumption and waste.
The takeaway
Optimizing the chemical flotation process allows miners to extract significantly more value from complex ore bodies. This evolution suggests that the future of lithium supply relies heavily on bespoke chemical engineering rather than generic processing standards.
Further reading
For more on the chemical processes used in modern mineral extraction, see the Chemistry section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Australian Mining.
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