Salt Lake Co., Ltd.

Qinghai Salt Lake Industry Co., Ltd. (盐湖股份) is a major Chinese chemical and mining company focused on the extraction and processing of salt lake resources in the Qaidam Basin of Qinghai Province. The company is the largest producer of potash fertilizer in China, a critical input for agriculture, and has become a significant player in the lithium sector, producing lithium carbonate from salt lake brines for use in batteries and new energy vehicles. Its operations are centered around the Qarhan Salt Lake, one of the largest salt lakes in the world, where it holds extensive mining rights. The company was established in 1997 and listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. It has undergone significant restructuring, including a major debt crisis and subsequent reorganization in the late 2010s, which led to a temporary suspension of trading and a state-led bailout. Today, 盐湖股份 is a key strategic enterprise in China's push for domestic resource security in both fertilizers and battery materials. It is headquartered in Golmud, Qinghai, and its products are sold primarily in China, with some exports. The company's brand is synonymous with Chinese potash and salt lake lithium, and it plays a vital role in the national agricultural and new energy supply chains.

Qinghai Salt Lake Industry Co., Ltd. was established in 1997 as part of China's efforts to develop the mineral-rich salt lakes of the Qaidam Basin. The company was listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 1997. For years, it was the dominant producer of potash in China, helping the country reduce its reliance on imports for agricultural fertilizer. In the 2010s, the company expanded into lithium extraction, capitalizing on the rising demand for lithium carbonate for batteries. However, a sharp decline in potash prices and heavy debt from expansion projects led to a financial crisis. In 2019, the company defaulted on debts and was forced into a reorganization process. Trading in its shares was suspended for over a year. In 2020, a state-backed restructuring plan was approved, involving debt-to-equity swaps and the injection of new capital. The company resumed trading in 2021 and has since focused on its core potash and lithium businesses. It remains a strategic state-owned enterprise, though it is publicly listed. The company continues to invest in expanding lithium production capacity to meet China's growing demand for electric vehicle batteries.

• 2021

  Trading resumes on Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

• 2020

  State-backed restructuring plan approved.

• 2019

  Debt default leads to reorganization and trading suspension.

• 1997

  Company founded and listed on Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

China's largest potash producer and a key domestic lithium supplier, leveraging the unique resources of the Qarhan Salt Lake.

• Potash fertilizer

  Potassium chloride for agricultural use.

• Lithium carbonate

  Battery-grade lithium carbonate from salt lake brine.

• 2025-12-30

  Salt Lake Co. to acquire 51% stake in Minmetals Salt Lake for RMB 4.605 billion[3]盐湖股份拟46.05亿元收购五矿盐湖51%股权finance.sina.com.cn

  Reported: 2026-01-05

  Salt Lake Co. (000792.SZ) announced on December 30, 2025 that it signed an equity transfer agreement with its controlling shareholder China Salt Lake to acquire a 51% stake in Minmetals Salt Lake for RMB 4.605 billion in cash, after which Minmetals Salt Lake will become a controlled subsidiary consolidated into Salt Lake Co.'s financial statements. The transaction includes a performance commitment of no less than RMB 2.105 billion in cumulative net profit attributable to the parent for 2026-2028.

• 2019-10-08

  Salt Lake Shares enters court-supervised restructuring[4]盐湖股份进入法院重整程序finance.sina.com.cn

  Reported: 2019-10-09

  Salt Lake Shares received a civil ruling from the Xining Intermediate People's Court accepting Taishan Industrial's application to restructure the company and appointing a liquidation group as its administrator.

• 2019-09-30

  Salt Lake shares announce entry into bankruptcy reorganization[5]盐湖股份公告进入破产重整finance.sina.com.cn

  Reported: 2019-10-08

  Qinghai Salt Lake Industry Co., Ltd. announced that it had entered bankruptcy reorganization after a court accepted a creditor's application for reorganization.

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