Alba Mineral Resources confirms suitability of Amitsoq graphite for Lithium-Ion Batteries
(ALBA ) said that test work on graphite from the Amitsoq graphite project has confirmed the suitability of the graphite for Lithium-Ion Batteries ("LIBs").
LIBs are already the fastest growing market for flake graphite, with massive growth rates forecast for the next decade. In particular, graphite is the anode material in lithium-ion batteries which are used to power electric vehicles and domestic electricity storage systems.
The results of a previous round of test work conducted at Pro Graphite in Germany confirmed that the graphite content of Amitsoq ore is amongst the highest found in flake graphite deposits globally and that it is possible to produce a >96% graphite concentrate.
The test work also confirmed that Amitsoq graphite appeared to be suitable feed material for Lithium-Ion Batteries ("LIBs"), the fastest growing market for flake graphite global.
The Company subsequently commissioned ProGraphite to undertake one further test work phase in order to assess the purification behaviour of Amitsoq graphite and to confirm whether it is possible to lower the impurities in the concentrate to typical values for LIBs.
For this test work, two methods were investigated, acid purification and alkaline purification. ProGraphite has since confirmed that it is possible to reach standard specification for the graphite in LIBs using acid-based purification and alkaline purification..
All principal objectives of this final round of testwork to assess the suitability of Amitsoq graphite for LIBs were met. Notably, both the target value for the LOI content of 99.9%, and the typical specification for spherical graphite of 99.95%, have been reached, Alba reported.
The graphite was also shown to be able to float to grades above 95% with the test work also showing that the particle size distribution is suitable, and the bulk density is high enough.
Pro Graphite said it recommends that the concentrate should be screened at 150 microns, with the flakes obtained being sold separately and that the remaining material which looks like a typical grade -195 micron, could be used for spherical graphite production.
"Our test work programme at Pro Graphite in Germany, which has now concluded, has achieved our objectives,” commented George Frangeskides, Alba's Executive Chairman.
He added, “We can now move forward with our plans to define a large-tonnage deposit at Amitsoq in the knowledge that our graphite not only has exceptionally high average grades but is also battery grade material which can be sold into the electric vehicle sector, which is by far the largest growth market for graphite."
View from Vox
Today’s news that the test work has confirmed the suitability of the graphite for Lithium-Ion Batteries ("LIBs") with the natural flake graphite qualifying as a High Purity Spherical Graphite which commands much a higher price than selling a flake graphite concentrate.
Graphite, which is an essential component in certain critical technological advances that are at the forefront of the drive to reduce global CO2 emissions, is the anode material in LIBs which are used to power electric vehicles and domestic electricity storage systems globally.
Looking ahead, Alba said it can continue its plans to define a large-tonnage deposit at Amitsoq in the knowledge that its graphite “not only has exceptionally high average grades but is also battery grade material which can be sold into the electric vehicle sector.”
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Reasons to ALBA
Alba Mineral Resources is a well-diversified exploration and development company which owns and operates mining projects in Greenland, Wales and Ireland. Its strategy is to identify and secure undervalued assets with a diversified commodity mix where there is potential for discovering further unexploited resources alongside the existing mine site.
Limerick Base Metals Project
Historically, only eight drillholes have been completed within Alba’s Project area of the Limerick Base Metals Project, the most recent being the three holes drilled in Q2 of 2019.
Alba said these low levels of drilling are unusual in the Irish context and, for this reason, the area is considered under-explored. Alba has previously identified a number of attractive targets that have never been drilled before.
Alba’s current technical team, led by Mark Austin, Alba’s COO and Senior Geologist, will undertake a comprehensive review of the licence area before determining the next phase of planned exploration activities.
The expenditure conditions attaching to the renewal of PL 3824 require Alba to incur expenditure of €15,732 by 26 May 2021 with a further €50,000 to be spent by 26 May 2022.
JORC Resources expected
Despite losing field time to the COVID-19 pandemic, Alba said it is in a position to execute one of the most significant underground work programmes seen for several decades at its Clogau gold mine in Wales, just as the commodity is reaching all-time highs in value.
Alba said its mining projects remain on ‘a sound footing’, with JORC resources at both Thule Black Sands and Melville Bay, and plans to drill a maiden JORC resource at Amitsoq in 2021.
Amitsoq
In recent weeks, Alba said an independent testwork programme at the Group’s Amitsoq graphite project in southern Greenland has confirmed ‘very high carbon content.’ Due to the high carbon content, the product would offer ‘a significant advantage, as no purification would be needed to achieve that level,’ the Company explained to investors.
Accordingly, subject to certain follow-up testwork which the Group said is recommended, the testwork successfully indicates the suitability of Amitsoq graphite as feed material for Lithium-Ion Batteries ("LIBs"), the fastest growing market for flake graphite globally.
‘This finding that the concentrate appears to be suitable for LIBs is significant, as the market for LIBs is the fastest growing market for flake graphite, with massive growth rates forecast for the next decade due to the expected demand for LIBs in electric vehicles,’ Alba outlined.
Transition from Exploration to Production in Greenland and Wales
Other ‘significant’ progress has also been made in recent years towards Alba’s ultimate goal of achieving commercial production at one or more of its sites, including at the Thule Black Sands in Greenland, the Amitsoq project in Greenland and the Horse Hill well in Surrey.
In 2020, Alba has announced that surface trenching activities would kick-start over the first of the group’s 10 regional gold targets over the Dolgellau Gold Field.
The trenching will target the first of 10 separate new gold targets over the Dolgellau Gold Field which have previously been identified by Alba.
Alba said up to eight trenches have been planned in this first phase, each varying in length from 40-90m for a total of 575m, with each trench being 1m wide and up to 2m deep.
Once exposed, the quartz veining and other structures from the trenches, those of which are pictured below, will be sampled, and those samples sent to a laboratory for assaying.
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