Core Viewpoint - Shenwan Hongyuan Research indicates that Zhongmin Resources' business primarily includes lithium salts, minor metals, and copper, and employs a segment valuation method to analyze the company's value [1] Summary by Sections - **Profit Forecast**: The estimated net profit attributable to the parent company for 2025, 2026, and 2027 is projected to be 445 million, 1.063 billion, and 1.733 billion yuan respectively [1] - **Growth Contribution**: Starting from 2026, new projects in minor metals and copper are expected to contribute significantly to growth, with the contributions to net profit from lithium salts, minor metals, and copper in 2026 estimated at approximately 177 million, 725 million, and 161 million yuan respectively [1] - **Valuation Metrics**: The company is assigned price-to-earnings (PE) ratios of 28x for lithium salts, 41x for minor metals, and 14x for copper for the year 2026, leading to a target market value of 36.8 billion yuan for 2026 [1] - **Market Potential**: The target market value of 36.8 billion yuan represents a 17.36% upside potential compared to the current market value of 31.4 billion yuan, prompting a first-time coverage with an "overweight" rating for the company [1]

Core Viewpoint - The Chinese lithium battery industry is accelerating towards high-quality development, with significant investments and project expansions in various segments, particularly in lithium batteries and solid-state batteries, indicating a strategic shift towards advanced production capabilities and market positioning [4][7][10]. Investment and Project Expansion - From January to August 2025, the Chinese lithium battery industry chain signed and initiated 183 new projects with a total planned investment of 400 billion yuan, showcasing a trend of "accelerated high-end expansion and clearance of low-end capacity" [4][7]. - The expansion projects include 54 for lithium batteries and 23 for solid-state batteries, representing 30% and 13% of the total planned expansion projects, respectively [4]. - Major investments are led by top companies like CATL, BYD, and Enjie, focusing on traditional segments, while emerging sectors like solid-state and sodium batteries attract new capital and startups [7][10]. Regional Distribution - The expansion projects are primarily concentrated in East and Central China, with significant activities in the Yangtze River Delta and Hubei-Hunan regions, leveraging local resources and manufacturing capabilities [10]. - Internationally, projects in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Hungary are gaining traction, driven by favorable geopolitical conditions and local demand for electric vehicle components [10][11]. Specific Investment Highlights - The planned investment in the lithium battery segment exceeds 40% of the total, with solid-state batteries emerging as a new growth area with a planned investment of 35 billion yuan [7][8]. - Notable projects include a 331 billion yuan investment in Guizhou for phosphate iron and lithium production, and a 243 billion yuan investment by Qingshan Group in another Guizhou project [8][10]. - The negative electrode materials sector is also seeing significant investment, with 28.6 billion yuan planned, focusing on technology upgrades and overseas expansion [8]. Emerging Technologies and Trends - Solid-state batteries are becoming the most popular investment track, driven by technological advancements and accelerated mass production [7][8]. - The industry is witnessing a shift towards more sophisticated materials and production techniques, with companies like Dongchi New Energy planning a 5.2 billion yuan sodium battery project [7][10].

上 市 公 司 有色金属 2025 年 09 月 26 日 中矿资源 (002738) | | 2024 | 2025H1 | 2025E | 2026E | 2027E | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 营业总收入（百万元） | 5,364 | 3,267 | 6,150 | 7,795 | 10,168 | | 同比增长率（%） | -10.8 | 34.9 | 14.7 | 26.7 | 30.4 | | 归母净利润（百万元） | 757 | 89 | 445 | 1,063 | 1,733 | | 同比增长率（%） | -65.7 | -81.2 | -41.3 | 139.1 | 63.0 | | 每股收益（元/股） | 1.05 | 0.12 | 0.62 | 1.47 | 2.40 | | 毛利率（%） | 32.8 | 18.0 | 20.7 | 29.4 | 34.3 | | ROE（%） | 6.2 | 0.7 | 3.6 | 8.1 | 12.1 | | 市盈率 | 41 | | 71 | 30 | 18 | 注： "净资产收益率"是指摊 ...

Group 1: Rare Metal ETF Performance - The Rare Metal ETF has a turnover rate of 3.51% and a transaction volume of 87.15 million yuan [3] - As of September 25, the ETF has seen an average daily transaction volume of 208 million yuan over the past month, ranking first among comparable funds [3] - The ETF's scale has increased by 247 million yuan this month, also ranking first among comparable funds [3] - The ETF's shares have grown by 43.5 million shares this month, achieving significant growth and ranking first among comparable funds [3] - Over the past 19 trading days, the ETF has experienced net inflows on 10 days, totaling 423 million yuan [3] - The ETF's net value has increased by 79.68% over the past year [3] - The highest monthly return since inception is 24.02%, with the longest consecutive monthly gains being 4 months and a maximum increase of 58.56% [3] - The average monthly return during rising months is 8.77%, and the ETF has outperformed the benchmark with an annualized return of 5.45% over the past three months [3] Group 2: Silicon Carbide and Rare Metals Market Trends - Silicon carbide prices have risen by 5.7% to 5,600 yuan per ton, reaching a three-month high, while high-purity gallium prices have increased by 1.1% due to recovering demand in the semiconductor sector [4] - The strategic importance of silicon carbide as a core substrate is increasing with its penetration in new energy vehicles, photovoltaic inverters, and 5G base stations [4] - Although short-term price fluctuations are influenced by production capacity release, the long-term outlook for the silicon carbide industry remains positive due to accelerated domestic substitution and increased downstream application [4] - Prices of tungsten and praseodymium-neodymium oxide are also at high levels, indicating a continued structural tightness in resource supply [4] Group 3: Top Holdings in Rare Metal Index - As of August 29, 2025, the top ten weighted stocks in the China Rare Metal Theme Index include Northern Rare Earth, Luoyang Molybdenum, Salt Lake Industry, Huayou Cobalt, Tianqi Lithium, Ganfeng Lithium, China Rare Earth, Shenghe Resources, Zhongjin Resources, and Xiamen Tungsten, collectively accounting for 57.58% of the index [4]

Group 1 - The rare metal ETF fund has seen a turnover rate of 6.78% with a transaction volume of 11.3956 million yuan, and the average daily transaction volume over the past month is 19.6415 million yuan as of September 25 [3] - The net value of the rare metal ETF fund has increased by 78.35% over the past year, with the highest monthly return since inception being 24.02% and the longest consecutive monthly increase lasting 4 months with a total increase of 57.92% [3] - Supply constraints have led to a significant rise in cobalt prices, with the Democratic Republic of Congo extending its cobalt export ban until October 15, resulting in a nearly 40% increase in cobalt prices this year [3] Group 2 - Bohai Securities indicates that the extension of the cobalt export ban in the Democratic Republic of Congo has caused a significant decline in domestic cobalt raw material imports, with electrolytic cobalt prices recovering to 275,000 yuan per ton from earlier lows [4] - The industry is currently in a destocking phase, and the cobalt supply is expected to remain constrained through 2026-2027, despite steady demand growth in the electric vehicle and energy storage sectors [4] - The top ten weighted stocks in the China Rare Metals Theme Index account for 57.58%, with notable companies including Northern Rare Earth, Luoyang Molybdenum, and Ganfeng Lithium [4] Group 3 - The rare metal ETF fund serves as a good investment tool for investors looking to gain exposure to the rare metals industry [6] - The performance of individual stocks within the rare metals sector varies, with notable increases in stocks like Huayou Cobalt and Tianqi Lithium, while Ganfeng Lithium has seen a slight decline [6]

Core Insights - The small metals sector experienced a rise of 1.03% on September 25, with Zhongkuang Resources leading the gains [1] - The Shanghai Composite Index closed at 3853.3, down 0.01%, while the Shenzhen Component Index closed at 13445.9, up 0.67% [1] Small Metals Sector Performance - Zhongkuang Resources (002738) closed at 43.49, up 4.32%, with a trading volume of 401,800 shares and a transaction value of 1.754 billion [1] - Xianglu Tungsten Industry (002842) closed at 10.60, up 3.72%, with a trading volume of 280,100 shares [1] - Western Materials (002149) closed at 17.64, up 3.40%, with a trading volume of 218,100 shares and a transaction value of 381 million [1] - Xiamen Tungsten Industry (600549) closed at 28.78, up 2.68%, with a trading volume of 1,570,900 shares and a transaction value of 1.628 billion [1] - Northern Rare Earth (600111) closed at 47.28, up 1.59%, with a trading volume of 1,483,800 shares and a transaction value of 7.025 billion [1] Capital Flow Analysis - The small metals sector saw a net inflow of 478 million from institutional investors, while retail investors experienced a net outflow of 823 million [2][3] - Northern Rare Earth (600111) had a net inflow of 27.7 million from institutional investors, but a net outflow of 360 million from retail investors [3] - Xiamen Tungsten Industry (600549) recorded a net inflow of 126 million from institutional investors, with a significant net outflow of 198 million from retail investors [3]

Group 1 - The A-share market saw a broad increase in small metal concept stocks, indicating positive market sentiment in this sector [1] - Huaxi Nonferrous Metals surged over 6%, reflecting strong investor interest and potential growth in the company [1] - Haotong Technology rose more than 3%, suggesting a favorable outlook for its business performance [1] Group 2 - Guiyan Platinum Industry increased by over 2%, indicating a positive trend in the precious metals segment [1] - Other companies such as China Rare Earth, Zhongkuang Resources, Guangsheng Nonferrous Metals, and Zhongtung High-tech also experienced gains, highlighting a broader rally in the small metal sector [1]

Group 1: Liquidity and Performance of Rare Metal ETFs - The rare metal ETF had an intraday turnover of 4.62%, with a transaction volume of 115 million yuan [1] - Over the past month, the average daily transaction volume of the rare metal ETF reached 218 million yuan, ranking first among comparable funds [1] - In the last two weeks, the rare metal ETF's scale increased by 53.46 million yuan, achieving significant growth and ranking first among comparable funds [1] - The ETF's shares grew by 13 million shares in the last two weeks, also ranking first among comparable funds [1] - In the last ten trading days, the rare metal ETF attracted a total of 195 million yuan in inflows [1] - As of September 22, 2025, the net value of the rare metal ETF increased by 86.19% over the past year [1] - The highest monthly return since inception was 24.02%, with the longest consecutive monthly gains being four months and a maximum increase of 58.56% [1] - The average return during the rising months was 8.77% [1] - The annualized return over the last three months exceeded the benchmark by 5.76% [1] Group 2: Market Dynamics and Policy Impact - The unique resource characteristics of minor metals lead to greater price elasticity, benefiting from high beta during market uptrends [2] - The Democratic Republic of Congo's cobalt export policy, effective September 21, extends the cobalt export ban until October 15, 2025, followed by a quota system [2] - The quota for October to December 2025 is set at 18,125 tons, with a total quota of 96,600 tons for 2026-2027, representing a 56% decrease from the 2024 production levels [2] - The Congolese government's firm pricing stance is expected to compel downstream companies to initiate large-scale inventory replenishment, driving cobalt prices upward [2] - As of August 29, 2025, the top ten weighted stocks in the China Rare Metal Theme Index accounted for 57.58% of the index, including companies like Northern Rare Earth, Luoyang Molybdenum, and Ganfeng Lithium [2] Group 3: Stock Performance Overview - The stock performance of key companies in the rare metals sector showed declines, with Northern Rare Earth down 4.79% and Ganfeng Lithium down 0.76% [4] - Other notable declines included Luoyang Molybdenum at -2.75% and Tianqi Lithium at -3.01% [4] - Investors can also participate in the rare metal sector through the rare metal ETF linked fund (014111) [4]

Core Viewpoint - The company is focusing on developing and utilizing lithium battery raw materials, with a current mining capacity of 4.18 million tons per year, ensuring stable raw material supply for the smelting process [1] Group 1: Business Strategy - The company plans to establish lithium sulfate production capacity in Africa to enhance operational efficiency and reduce transportation costs, which is part of a strategy for industry chain collaboration [1] - The company aims to continuously optimize the stability and economic efficiency of the lithium battery raw material supply chain by integrating domestic and international resources and capacity allocation in response to market and policy changes [1]

Core Viewpoint - The company, Zhongkuang Resources, has developed a comprehensive layout in the rare light metal (cesium, rubidium) business, focusing on resource channels, technical processes, and market applications [2] Group 1 - The company will actively monitor market supply and demand changes [2] - The company aims to leverage its business foundation to continuously contribute to market stability [2]