PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed Volt Resource’s subsidiary Zavalievsky Graphite (ZG) has won a grant from the European Union’s Horizon programme for a graphite anode development project called GR4FITE3.

GR4FITE3 will be executed by an international consortium consisting of ten partners from six countries including Ukraine, Poland, Italy, Spain and France. The consortium of industry experts will receive up to €5-million in grant funding over the next four years of which the ZG allocation will be up to €600 000, or around A$978 000.

The GR4FITE3 project intends to provide graphite resilience for lithium-ion battery anodes through a sustainable European end-to-end supply chain. This supply chain comprises of ecologically responsible European miners of natural crystalline flake graphite from one of Europe's largest natural graphite deposit - the Zavalievsky graphite mine. This will enable the production of high-density anodes, the creation of cells, the development of battery modules, the certification of lithium-ion batteries for safety and viability, and ultimately the use of these products by OEMs such as an established European electric bus manufacturer and a utility grid developer, among others.

Volt said in a statement on Monday that this consortium would deliver both innovation and cost-competitiveness, to demonstrate improved supply chain logistics and superior performance of anode-grade graphite and batteries for the specific needs of European OEMs.

“Securing non-dilutive funding, which accelerates the commercialisation of our long-life natural graphite anode, is a part of our strategy and we are thankful to EU for the award. Through ZG, Volt intends to work closely with the GR4FITE3 partners for creation of a sustainable supply chain for the rapidly growing lithium-ion battery industry in Europe,” said Volt CEO Prashant Chintawar.

“Results of this project are expected to benefit Volt’s planned downstream facilities for the production of natural graphite anode.”