During our many years in the business, we have built a reputation as the place to source a range of niche products, including zirconium oxides, zirconium chemicals, cobalt chemicals and other specialist items.
We are pleased to represent some of the leading manufacturers from around the world to provide you with the products, and most importantly the quality and service, you need. Please see below our formal relationships, but note we also work with many other suppliers to offer a package of materials.
Starting in 1956, DKKK has grown to become one of the largest and leading producers of high purity monoclinic and partially stabilised zirconias for use in advanced technical ceramic fields. Whilst their largest volume business has evolved in the autocatalyst market, DKKK continues to expand their involvement in everything related to zirconia. Their latest developments involve energy storage, clean energy generation, and niche technical ceramic products.
Building from their main manufacturing bases in Osaka, Gotsu and Fukui, in Japan, DKKK continue to strengthen their market share. Formation of recent joint ventures with strategic raw material suppliers and other partners has allowed DKKK to ensure the security of their supply lines, whilst maximising their capabilities.
Due to our prior association with DKKK from our days at Podmore and Son Ltd, we have effectively been their European agent and distributor for the last 40+ years.
DKKK offer a comprehensive range of zirconia materials including:
Monoclinic zirconia grades for electroceramics applications
Partially stabilised zirconia grades for structural/dental ceramics
Fused stabilised zirconia grades for refractory/abrasive uses
One of the most significant developments in our recent history is our association with Australian Strategic Materials Ltd (ASM). ASM were originally part of Alkane Resources Ltd, an Australian gold production company with a multi-commodity exploration and development portfolio. At the heart of the ASM’s future operations is its world-class, construction-ready Dubbo Project (DP), located 400 kilometres northwest of Sydney. This is set to become a significant producer of critical materials for advanced technologies, including strategic elements such as zirconium, rare earths (light and heavy), hafnium and niobium. We are the worldwide agent and distributor for all zirconium materials produced and are assisting in the marketing of the rare earths (light and heavy) and hafnium products.
The major benefits of the ASM DP is that it is a polymetallic ore body, with an estimated mine life of 70+ years, and will be a non-Chinese source of strategically important materials. Other important aspects of the DP are that the zirconium units are not beneficiated from zirconium silicate (zircon), have a very low level of radioactivity, and are in an easily accessible ore body in a politically stable country. The likely products to be produced include chemical concentrates of:
Rare Earth
Hafnium (Hf)
Niobium (Nb)
Zirconium (Zr)
Established in 2009 and based at a state of the art factory close to Busan, the Republic of Korea, HanKyung TEC Co Ltd (HKTec) are specialist manufacturers for a number niche zirconium and rare earth compounds. Their business model is specifically focused on product development for the next generation of materials.
Minchem has been working with HKTec as agents and distributors since 2011 on special Zr products based on zirconium acetate, zirconium hydroxide and zirconium phosphate. These are specifically targeted at the healthcare and catalyst markets.
We have a long-standing association as agent and distributor for Jervois Finland Oy who make a comprehensive range of Cobalt oxides and salts at their plant in Kokkola, Finland. These include:
Cobalt oxides for use in Co blue pigment production
Cobalt carbonates for animal feed applications
Cobalt hydroxide for catalysts/paint driers
Cobalt sulphate for anodising/ceramic blue pigment
The closure of the open cast/surface mining operation of the Palabora mine, in South Africa, meant Baddeleyite (natural zirconia) and downstream zirconium chemicals were no longer available. In an effort to maintain the supply lines of high-grade products to our customers, Minchem developed a strategic partnership with Shenyang Astron Mining Industries Ltd, in China.
Using our combined in-house knowledge, experience and personnel, a new factory was established at Yingkou, Liaoning Province, China. This plant produced fused zirconium oxides (to effectively replace the Baddeleyite feedstock), and a range of downstream products such as zirconium chemicals and fused partially stabilised zirconium oxides.
In 2007, the Yingkou plant was purchased by Imerys SA to form part of their Fused Minerals (IFM) operations. As a result, our close cooperation with Shenyang Astron transferred to IFM. We continue to work closely with them for their comprehensive range of zirconia materials.
Advanced Energy Minerals (AEM) is one of the few producers of high-purity and ultra-high purity alumina worldwide. AEM is headquartered in Quebec, Canada, with production based at their Cap-Chat, Quebec plant. The current product range comprises a family of alpha and gamma alumina powders, branded as SupALOX®, aluminium chloride hexahydrates, branded as SupACH®, and alpha alumina pucks, branded as SupPUCK®. Further to the powders, AEM are also uniquely capable of offering high solids content slurries, potentially optimising production costs for clients. AEM products are manufactured using their novel, patented, low-carbon Chlorine Leach Crystallization Purification (CLCP) process at purities up to 99.999%. With sustainability, and corporate & social responsibility (CSR), ethics forming the core of their business, AEM are uniquely placed to offer near net zero production of ultra high purity alumina materials to service the worldwide market.https://aemcanada.com/
For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us, we would be pleased to help with any technical enquiries that you may have.
We would also be interested to become your agent and distributor should you need a specialist representative for niche chemical and ceramic raw materials.
