JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Aim-listed Armadale has declared a maiden Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant inferred mineral resource estimate of 40.9-million tonnes – graded at 9.41% total graphitic content (TGC) – for its 100%-owned Mahenge Liandu graphite project, in Tanzania.

At least 32-million tonnes of this resource has an average grade of 10.47% TGC – one of the largest high-grade resources in Tanzania.

Work to date has showcased Mahenge Liandu’s potential as a commercially viable deposit with significant tonnage, high-grade coarse flake and near-surface mineralisation contained within one contiguous orebody.

The initial phase of metallurgical testwork, which will indicate the quality of the product, is expected to be finalised in the first quarter, and graphite flake concentrate samples will be analysed by an independent European laboratory to determine its suitability for spherical graphite and expandable graphite, which will assist with marketing to end-users.

Armadale chairperson William Frewen highlighted a maiden resource estimate of this quantum and grade as a significant achievement that underpins the potential commercial and strategic value of the project.

“When factoring in a low strip ratio and high-grade coarse flakes, we are optimistic that significant shareholder value can be created through expediting development to tap into burgeoning demand for natural graphite, fuelled by lithium-ion battery producers and other markets,” he said.

Frewen added that the Mahenge Liandu project was located in one of the world’s most prolific high-grade coarse flake graphite regions, surrounded by advanced projects, such as Blackrock Mining's Mahenge project and Kibaran Resources’ Epanko project.

“It should come as no surprise that our expectations remain high for future exploration and development activities at Mahenge Liandu as we remain focused on maintaining our ambitious development schedule and progressing towards production as soon as practicable."

Meanwhile, Armadale expects to undertake a diamond drilling programme during the first half of next year to test extensions to the current resource and to upgrade the resource classification.