超10亿押注高端材料，东方锆业固态电池布局陷“未供货”争议

Core Viewpoint - Dongfang Zircon Industry plans to invest approximately 737 million yuan in a project to produce 60,000 tons of battery-grade zirconium oxychloride and 12,000 tons of high-purity zirconium-hafnium separation oxide annually, indicating a strategic shift towards emerging applications in solid-state batteries and nuclear power [2][3][4]. Investment Details - The investment will be executed through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Qinyang Dongzhuo New Materials Technology Co., Ltd., and will be carried out in two phases, with the first phase focusing on 35,000 tons/year of high-purity zirconium oxychloride and the second phase adding 25,000 tons/year and 12,000 tons/year of oxide [3][4]. - The total investment for the two projects, including a related asset acquisition of 66.57 million yuan, amounts to nearly 800 million yuan [2][4]. Strategic Shift - The company is transitioning from traditional zircon products to high-end emerging fields such as new energy, photovoltaics, and nuclear power due to declining demand in traditional sectors [3][4]. - Cumulatively, Dongfang Zircon's planned investments in emerging applications this year will reach approximately 1.1 billion yuan, demonstrating a strong commitment to this strategic direction [6]. Financial Considerations - The funding for the 737 million yuan project is expected to come from self-owned or self-raised funds, which poses a significant financial burden given the company's current cash position of only 290 million yuan as of the end of Q3 [6][9]. - The company has faced increased financial pressure, with accounts receivable skyrocketing by 47 times to 119 million yuan, primarily due to an increase in commercial bills received [6][9]. Market and Technical Challenges - There are concerns regarding the production progress of solid-state battery materials, as the company has not yet supplied products to solid-state battery manufacturers, despite market speculation that the investment signals imminent mass production [6][9]. - The solid-state battery electrolyte market is characterized by competition among three main technical routes: polymer, oxide, and sulfide, with Dongfang Zircon focusing on the oxide route, which presents risks related to technological iteration and market competition [9][10].