Name of the Project
Vittangi battery anode project.

Location
Northern Sweden.

Project Owner/s
Battery anode and advanced materials company Talga Group.

Project Description
A detailed feasibility study (DFS) has confirmed the Vittangi project’s potential to supply globally competitive green graphite anode, suitable for multiple applications, including Tier 1 automotive lithium-ion batteries.

The DFS was based on the updated Nunasvaara South ore reserve of 2.3-million tonnes at 24.1% graphite.

The DFS envisages a vertically integrated mine-to-anode operation producing 19 500 t/y battery anode Talnode-C from 100 000 t/y of Vittangi graphite ore over a 24-year mine life.

A scoping study was also completed during the DFS to evaluate the potential addition of about 85 000 t/y Talnode-C production from the adjacent Niska resources. This study identified significant commercial synergies to unify deposit development and production plans to maximise the potential of the project area. This will be subject to separate studies following further discussions with customers and development partners.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has a pretax net present value, at an 8% discount rate, of $1.05-billion and an internal rate of return of 30%, with a payback of 2.5 years after the project is commissioned.

Capital Expenditure
$484-million, and $44-million contingency.

Planned Start/End Date
Mining is planned to start in 2023, with commercial anode production expected in 2024.

Latest Developments
Talga has started trial mining at the Vittangi project.

The 2021 trial mining campaign is extracting a 2 500 t sample of natural graphite from the Niska South deposit of the project.

The raw ore will be processed and refined into the company’s flagship lithium-ion battery anode product Talnode-C for large-scale qualification trials in electric vehicle batteries.

Site works include the installation of environmental monitoring systems, such as dust-sampling and water-treatment equipment, fencing, roadworks and overburden removal, with stockpiling of topsoil for rehabilitation of the 100 m × 100 m site at the end of the 2021 campaign.

The anode product produced from this campaign will be the first large-scale use of natural graphite from the Niska part of Vittangi since successful metallurgical testing of the drill core for the Niska scoping study.

The study considered standalone production of about 85 000 t/y Talnode-C anode and about 8 500 t/y Talphene graphene for silicon anodes to be added to existing plans for 19 500 t/y of anode from Nunasvaara South.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Worley (lead consultant – DFS).

Contact Details for Project Information
Talga Group, tel +61 8 9481 6667 or email info@talgagroup.com.