International Graphite: New graphite R&D facility opens the doors to pilot production within months
HIGHLIGHTS
- IG6 has signed the lease on a new 432sqm building to expand its footprint in Collie, Western Australia.
- It will be the centre of the Company’s research and development program for graphite processing, quality control, materials handling and skills development.
- Imported feedstock has been delivered enabling the new facility to undertake micronising and spheroidising pilot testing for Battery Anode Material (BAM) applications.
- Former Western Australian Member of Parliament Mick Murray has joined IG6 in a community development role.
04 May 2022 - International Graphite (ASX:IG6) is moving to bigger premises in Collie, Western Australia, where it plans to expand its pilot plant and research and development facilities.
The Company has signed the lease on a 432sqm building and is preparing to relocate and install its existing equipment. The new premises will provide substantially more space than the current Collie facility, with improved head room and access for safety and ease of equipment maintenance, and office accommodation for staff.
This facility will be the centre of the Company’s research and development activities including pilot testing of graphite concentrates and spheroidising of graphite for Battery Anode Material (BAM) applications.
The pilot plant is expected to be commissioned during Q3 (2022) and it is the Company’s intention to expand the facility over the next 12 months.
The pilot plant and research and development program are designed to provide key input to the Company’s long-term operations by:
- Producing micronised and spherical graphite sample product for market testing purposes
- Refining graphite laboratory testing for quality control processes
- Providing hands-on materials handling and product management experience
- Informing the specification and selection of future commercial-scale equipment
- Testing output for BAM suitability and yield expectations.
International Graphite has taken delivery of imported graphite feedstock, at 98% TGC concentration, which it will use to commission and operate the spheroidising and micronising equipment. Subsequent purchases of imported feedstock will be made until its own Springdale Graphite mine is developed and comes online, currently planned for later in 2024.
Laboratory equipment will incorporate an ultra-high temperature furnace and thermogravimetric testing and analysis equipment. These will be used to develop a thermal purification process alongside non-HF chemical processing, both of which are safer and more environmentally responsible than traditional chemical-based graphite processing techniques.
International Graphite is working to establish a mine-to-market graphite business which will be the first with a sovereign supply chain wholly located in Western Australia. The Company aims to be an ethical supplier of battery anode graphite for use in electric vehicles, renewable energy storage and other decarbonisation technologies.
Former long standing WA Member of Parliament Mr Mick Murray has joined the IG6 team as Collie Relations Manager. Mr Mick Murray has lived in Collie for most of his life and represented the seat of Collie-Preston for almost two decades until his retirement in 2017.
The community liaison role will include helping IG6 source local content and resources, navigate regulatory requirements, and provide advice as to how the Company can best contribute as part of the Collie community.
Quotes attributed to International Graphite’s Executive Chairman Phil Hearse:
“The move to this new building is an important step in our development plans and has come quicker than we anticipated. It reflects the momentum we are experiencing in the market as global demand for graphite continues to grow rapidly.
“Graphite production, to the quality battery manufacturers require, is precise and demanding and this phase will enable us to refine our processes and techniques so that when we produce feedstock from our Springdale operation, we can achieve high quality output in a controlled, efficient and responsible way.
“Graphite is also quite different to other materials in that it requires specialist techniques for materials handling, packaging, equipment maintenance and optimisation. Building this knowledge and skill in our team and our Collie workforce will be invaluable.”
About the appointment of Mick Murray:
“We want to maximise the value and jobs that our business can bring to WA and having Mick Murray as our local representative will help us do that.
“Nobody could be better. Mick brings plenty of local knowledge and a wealth of experience of the Collie region. He understands the town and is well placed to help us establish our presence there.”
Quotes attributed to Mick Murray:
“Collie is starting to realise its exciting future, with several new industries joining the town. I see International Graphite as an ideal fit – helping establish Collie as a home for leading edge industries and bringing jobs and training to our community for decades to come.”
This announcement has been authorised for release by the Board of Directors of International Graphite.
Phil Hearse
Executive Chairman
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Robert Hodby
CFO/Company Secretary
robert.hodby@internationalgraphite.com.au
+61 407 770 183
Marie Howarth
Media & Communication
marie.howarth@internationalgraphite.com.au
+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 ASX (ASX: IG6) and Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE:H99) and is a member of the European Battery Alliance (EBA250) and European Raw Minerals Alliance (ERMA).
Figure 1: Project Location
Springdale is a shallow graphite deposit with excellent metallurgical characteristics for battery anode material and extensive prospectivity for additional resources. When in operation, graphite concentrates from Springdale are intended to be the primary feedstock for the Company’s planned downstream processing activities at Collie.
The Springdale Project is at exploration and development stage and comprises two granted exploration licences and a prospecting license covering approximately 180km2. The deposit is located in a mining hub in the south of Western Australia, 25km from the Ravensthorpe Nickel Mine and 45km from the Galaxy Lithium Mine.
Springdale has an existing Inferred Mineral Resource estimate of 15.6 million tonnes @ 6% total graphitic content (TGC), including a high-grade Inferred Mineral Resource component of 2.6 million tonnes @ 17.5% TGC.[i],[ii]
Domain
Tonnes (Mt)
Density (t/m3)
Graphite (TGC%)
Classification
High-grade
2.6
2.1
17.5
Inferred
Low grade
13.0
2.2
3.7
Inferred
Total
15.6
2.2
6.0
Inferred
Table 1: Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate at the Springdale Graphite Project
International Graphite is also developing downstream graphite processing facilities at Collie. Graphite concentrates from the proposed Springdale operation will be trucked to Collie for downstream processing.
[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.