International Graphite: Graphite micronising and spheroidising pilot facilities installed at Collie
18 August 2022
HIGHLIGHTS
- Pilot scale graphite micronising and spheroidising equipment – key steps in the production of battery anode material - installed at Collie.
- Dry commissioning has commenced and graphite concentrate is on site in preparation for wet commissioning in August and September.
- Product samples to be produced will be used for market and industry engagement – advisors appointed in Germany and USA.
- Future micronising production facilities supported by $2 million grant from the Western Australian government.
Previous Springdale Graphite Project metallurgical testwork has shown excellent metallurgical characteristics for producing battery anode materials.
International Graphite Limited (ASX: IG6) has completed installation of pilot scale micronising and spheroidising equipment at its Collie downstream processing facility, 200 kilometres south of Perth, Western Australia.
The pilot facility aims to:
- Demonstrate the Company’s ability to produce a high quality spheroidised graphite product suitable for battery anode material (BAM).
- Support the development and design of a commercial line of micronised graphite
- Begin establishing International Graphite’s presence in the graphite marketplace.
- Provide operating expertise in graphite product handling and packaging.
- Assist in the development of a process for the purification of graphite concentrates. A purification furnace has been delivered to site and will be installed following the assessment of micronised graphite products.
Executive Chairman Phil Hearse said “Establishment of this micronising and spheroidising pilot facility at Collie is our first step towards realising our vision of creating a vertically integrated from mine to final battery anode material production facility in Western Australia. That this first step has been accomplished only four months from our IPO is due to the extensive work the team at IG6 did in the years prior to and since our IPO, laying the foundations for our business plan. With governments focussed on establishing supply chains for critical minerals, such as battery grade graphite, required to support the transition to a carbon neutral economy globally, including the recent announcement by the WA government of approximately $660 million investment into the Collie region to support such endeavours, we feel positive about our strategy and look forward to delivering on more milestones moving forward.”
Collie micronising & spheroidising pilot plant and laboratory facilities
Dry commissioning of the pilot facilities, being pre-operational checks of equipment performance and electricals, is complete and wet commissioning will begin using imported fine flaked graphite concentrate that is on site ready to be processed. The concentrate was sourced from ISO9001 and ISO14001 certified producers.
The Company intends to apply the knowledge gained from the pilot facilities to consider implementing a commercial scale micronising facility that could treat third party concentrates, generate cashflow, and be subsequently expanded and integrated with graphite spheroidising, purification and potentially coating facilities to treat concentrates from the Company’s 100% owned Springdale Graphite Project (Springdale) when in operation and produce battery anode materials.
Purified micronised graphite can be sold as a conductive additive to battery cathodes, or other industrial applications, or as an intermediate product used in the production of purified spheroidised graphite (PSG). Micronising is a necessary step in the production of BAM in lithium - ion batteries.
In 2020 and 2021, prior to the Company’s ASX listing, the Company undertook various studies that considered the micronising of graphite at Collie. That work included the preparation of equipment lists, process design criteria, process flow diagrams, mass balance calculations, identification of consumables and other key inputs, handling of waste products, sales plans, and capital and operating cost estimates.
It formed the basis for the Company’s successful award in September 2021 from the Western Australian Government, via the Collie Futures Industry Development Fund, of $2 million in grant funding to be applied to a graphite micronising production facility at Collie. Draw down of that funding is subject to formal documentation being agreed.
The micronised and spheroidised products produced at the Collie pilot facilities will enable the commencement of market and industry engagement. ‘Signature-Specific Graphite Product Qualification’ is an important factor for successful and sustainable sales of advanced graphite products. This requirement is critical as customers qualify and evaluate graphite products from specific sources. Qualifications used in product formulations must be reliable, consistent, and under strict quality control guidelines, to ensure traceability and adequate sample retention.
Testwork undertaken by Comet Resources Limited (ASX: CRL) on graphite concentrates produced from Springdale, prior to International Graphite’s acquisition of the project, indicated that graphite mineralisation at Springdale has excellent metallurgical characteristics for the production of battery anode grade PSG. It is the Company’s aim to use graphite from Springdale as the feedstock for production of BAM once the project is advanced into production.
Springdale is a shallow graphite deposit with extensive prospectivity for additional resources. It has an existing Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate of 15.6Mt @ 6% TGC, including a high-grade component of 2.6Mt @17.5% TGC. [i][ii]
International Graphite projects location
The 7,100m RC and PQ/HQ diamond drilling program, comprising 54 RC drillholes (3,300m) and 12 diamond holes (900m) continues at Springdale. The program will undertake infill drilling around the existing Springdale resource with the aim of reclassifying resources from the inferred category to the measured or indicated categories, provide additional samples for further metallurgical testwork, and data for initial geotechnical assessments and mine planning. In addition, 37 RC holes (3,000m) are being drilled to test a number of high priority exploration targets with the aim of identifying additional mineral resources at the project.
This announcement has been authorised for release by the Board of Directors of International Graphite Limited.
Phil Hearse
Executive Chairman
For more information please contact:
Robert Hodby
CFO/Company Secretary
+61 407 770 183
Marie Howarth
Media & Communication
+61 412 111 962
About International Graphite
International Graphite is an emerging supplier of processed graphite products, including battery anode material, for the global electric vehicle and renewable energy markets.
The Company is developing a sovereign Australian ‘mine to market’ capability, with integrated operations wholly located in Western Australia. The Company intends to build on Australia’s reputation for technical excellence and outstanding ESG performance with future mining and graphite concentrate production from its 100% owned Springdale Graphite Project and commercial scale downstream processing at Collie. International Graphite is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: IG6) and Tradegate and Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FWB: H99, WKN: A3DJY5) and is a member of the European Battery Alliance (EBA250) and European Raw Minerals Alliance (ERMA).
[i] Refer to Comet Resources Limited (ASX: CRL) ASX announcement dated 6 December 2018.
[ii] Refer to the Company’s prospectus dated 21 February 2022 as supplementary by the supplementary prospectus dated 4 March 2022 for further details regarding the Mineral Resource estimate, including the Independent Technical Assessment Report prepared in respect of the Springdale Graphite Project.
