International Graphite Limited (ASX: IG6)(ASX: IG6)is pleased to announce outstanding results from bench scale micronising, spheroidising and purification testwork on graphite concentrates generated from the Company’s Springdale Graphite Project, in Western Australia.
HIGHLIGHTSFurther bench scale micronising, spheroidising and purification testwork completed on Springdale Graphite Project concentrates.A two product spherical graphite – SpG11 and SpG18 – yield of up to 76% achieved.Purification testwork achieves 99.99% – well above highest purity anode material product specification of 99.97%.
The testing, conducted by industry specialists ProGraphite GmbH, used 23kg of 95.3% loss on ignition (LOI) grade Springdale graphite concentrates to produce purified spheroidised graphite product.
Micronising and spheroidising (milling) testwork investigated several process circuit options resulting in two spheroidised graphite products – SpG18 and SpG11 – and a yield of up to 76% at a product size of D50 18µm (micron) and D50 11µm. The properties of both the SpG18 and SpG11 products exceeded the quality and physical specifications typically required for active anode materials.
The SpG samples were purified using an acid-based purification process. Purification testwork achieved 99.99% LOI grade, well exceeding the published industry benchmarks for anode materials. Figure 1 shows a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) typical image of the purified SpG18 (D50 18µm) sample.
International Graphite Technical Director David Pass said, “This testing was designed to optimise the milling processes with the goal of improving product output. The results are highly encouraging and show there is significant potential to increase yield well beyond the projections in our original scoping study1.
“The purification results have also reinforced original findings that Springdale graphite can achieve the purity standards industry typically requires for the production of active anode materials.”
Managing Director and CEO Andrew Worland said, “These results are another significant milestone in the development our mine-to-market production strategy and further evidence that our 100% owned Springdale Mineral Resource is a vital asset perfectly suited to the high growth lithium-ion battery anode sector.
“The unique operating expertise and intellectual property we are gaining from our R&D processing facilities in Collie is making an invaluable contribution to the development of our downstream flowsheet. This, coupled with further testwork, will significantly advance our battery anode feasibility studies.”
Figure1 SEM Image of SpG18 graphite sample
The purified SpG sample material will be used in future coating testwork and to advance process flowsheet development and equipment selection for the production of active anode material for batteries.
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