[SMM Analysis] Latest Progress of the Murong Lithium Mine

Published: Mar 31, 2026 18:02

Recently, Chengxin Lithium Group Co., Ltd. (002240.SZ) disclosed on the investor interaction platform that pre-construction preparations for the Murong Lithium Mine, located in Yajiang County, Sichuan Province, had been largely completed, and large-scale construction is expected to begin soon. This progress marked the entry of this lithium industry giant into the substantive development stage of “the largest hard-rock single lithium deposit proven in Asia to date.”

The value of the Murong Lithium Mine was first reflected in its remarkable resource endowment. According to data from the Sichuan Mineral Resources and Reserves Review Center, the mine had identified cumulative ore resources of about 61.095 million mt, with lithium oxide (Li₂O) resources as high as 989,600 mt and an average grade of 1.62%. This resource scale made it indisputably the largest hard-rock single lithium mine in Asia, and its grade also ranked among the highest in Sichuan.

The mine is located in the well-known Jiajika lithium-beryllium ore district, which forms part of the Songpan-Ganzi-West Kunlun giant lithium metallogenic belt spanning Sichuan, Qinghai, and other provinces and regions, and is known as the “Asian Lithium Belt.” The entire Jiajika ore field had identified total lithium oxide resources exceeding 2 million mt, making it one of the most concentrated regions for hard-rock lithium resources in China and even globally. The Murong Lithium Mine was designed for a production scale of 3 million mt/year, and its mining license is valid until September 5, 2048, providing assurance for long-term and stable mining operations.

According to the company’s latest disclosure, the Murong Lithium Mine project had obtained project approval from the Sichuan Provincial National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), as well as key approvals from departments including natural resources, ecology and environment, and emergency management covering land-use pre-examination, environmental impact assessment, and safety facilities design. Various pre-construction preparations had been largely completed. This means the project is expected to enter the stage of large-scale mine infrastructure and beneficiation plant construction soon.

After the project is completed and put into operation, its annual raw ore processing capacity of 3 million mt will translate into considerable production of lithium concentrates, providing stable and high-quality raw material support for the company’s downstream lithium chemicals production sites in Deyang and Suining, Sichuan, as well as Indonesia. 

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[SMM Analysis] Latest Progress of the Murong Lithium Mine - Shanghai Metals Market (SMM)