Name of the Project
Bunyu graphite project.

Location
Tanzania.

Project Owner/s
Volt Resources.

Project Description
An updated prefeasibility feasibility study (PFS) on the Bunyu graphite project has improved the economics of the Stage 1 project.

The Stage 1 operation is based on a mining and processing plant of 400 000 t/y of ore, producing on average 24 780 t/y of graphite products.

The updated PFS has estimated a capital cost of $33.1-million, compared with the $31.8-million estimated in the 2018 PFS, with the project’s net revenue increasing from $268.6-million to $433.2-million, its after-tax net present value from $14.7-million to $36.4-million and its internal rate of return from 19.3% to 23.6%.

The project’s mine life has also increased from 7.1 year estimated in the original PFS to nearly 14 years.

Potential Job Creation
Stage 1 has a pretax net present value, at a 10% discount rate, of $18.6-million and an internal rate of return of 21%, with a payback after tax of 4.4 years.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The updated PFS delivers a pretax net present value of $58.9-million and an internal rate of return of 31.5%, with a payback period of 2.9 years.

Capital Expenditure
The updated PFS has estimated a capital cost of $33.1-million, compared with the $31.8-million estimated in the 2018 PFS.

Planned Start/End Date
Not stated.

Latest Developments
Having commissioned Bunyu Stage 1, Volt intends to progress to Stage 2 later this decade to leverage the platform established by Stage 1, and Bunyu’s status as one of the biggest graphite resources globally, to significantly scale production from 24 780 t/y to 170 000 t/y and help meet the forecasted global increase in demand for graphite products. 

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Volt Resources, tel +61 8 9486 7788 or email info@voltresources.com.