Aim-listed Armadale Capital has commissioned mining project development consultancy Batterylimits to expand the scope of the definitive feasibility study (DFS) at its Mahenge Liandu graphite project, in Tanzania, to include a downstream analysis on high-quality, high-purity flake graphite concentrate.
This will be done during the metallurgical test work programme.
Downstream test work will include, among others, the purification of spherical graphite, as well as the electrical characterisation thereof and the production of battery cells.
The results are critical in highlighting the extent to which graphite concentrate from Mahenge Liandu can be used to produce battery cells, a key data point for prospective Chinese offtake partners, Armadale said on Wednesday.
Armadale remains optimistic that the test work results will “exceed the industry standards” for battery anode materials.
Director Nick Johansen said that, in the lead-up to the DFS being released towards the end of the year, Armadale’s priority will be to demonstrate that its commercialisation strategy is gaining momentum.
A scoping study previously verified that the Mahenge Liandu project could produce a coarse flake, high-purity graphite product underpinning a business case to progress commercialisation plans.
Based on a 400 000 t/y throughput, it highlighted that the project could produce an average of 49 000 t/y of high-quality graphite products over a 32-year mine life.