JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Australian technology materials development company Talga Resources on Tuesday announced the outcomes of a detailed 10-month assessment by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) on graphite and graphene samples from its high-grade and wholly-owned Nunasvaara deposit, in Sweden.

In the comprehensive 128 page report, CSIRO research authors Mark Pearce and Bélinda Godel concluded that the Nunasvaara graphite deposit was highly crystalline, was formed from a biogenic carbon source and that graphene liberated by Talga directly from uncrushed raw Nunasvaara graphite ore, showed thin, electron transparent 2-10 micron size graphene.

Talga said that it considered this size range as a key advantage, as it enabled a greater variety of bulk graphene applications to be catered to including additives to battery materials, composites, anti-corrosion coatings and polymers.

Other key conclusions included that the distribution of graphite flakes within the Nunasvaara ore matrix was highly homogeneous, particularly compared with more conventional global deposits, and that late stage vein graphite occurs deposited by notably low-temperature fluids.

Collectively, the data assisted Talga in confirming key aspects of how its natural graphite ores were formed and could be used to optimise exploration and processing methodologies towards maximum graphene production capability.

“The report is highly technical and the bulk of its content is commercial-in-confidence but we are highly encouraged by both the calibre and intensity of the CSIRO test programme applied to the Nunasvaara ore, and the scientific integrity of the findings,” said Talga MD Mark Thompson.

He added that the tests achieved the objective of gaining a deeper insight into Nunasvaara natural graphite-graphene deposits using a mineralogical characterisation at a larger scale than provided by Talga’s nanotechnology research programmes.

“The test also provided new data to better interpret how the deposit’s graphite mineralisation formed. We believe this interpretation will improve the project’s economics as it facilitates optimised mining and processing performance and highlights the ideal conditions under which deposit extensions may be found,” said Thompson.
 
He further enthused that the timing of results “could not have been better” as Talga was currently preparing to start trial mining in Sweden and demonstration plant processing in Germany.

The assessment was conducted pursuant to a collaboration agreement with Talga as part of CSIRO’s focus on potential graphene-producing natural ore deposits. The testwork was funded by CSIRO, and the federal Department of Industry’s Researchers in Business programme, in conjunction with Talga.
“The CSIRO Advanced Resource Characterisation facility is a cutting-edge opportunity for increasing innovation in mining. Combined with funding provided by the government Researchers in Business programme this has been an effective way to boost Talga’s development of large-scale natural graphene supply,” Thompson concluded.