Graphite processing plant at Tirupati's Sahamamy project
London-listed Tirupati Graphite has commissioned its first of four 9 000 t/y flake graphite modules at the Vatomina project, in Madagascar.
This brings the company’s total production capacity in Madagascar to 12 000 t/y and keeps it on track to achieve its target capacity of 84 000 t/y by 2024.
The company also operates the 3 000 t/y Sahamamy flake graphite project in Madagascar.
Now that the company has achieved the 12 000 t/y production capacity rate, it expects the unit cost of production to be improved, which will lead to an enhancement on the 57% gross operation margin that was achieved at Sahamamy before Vatomina came online.
Meanwhile, Tirupati is progressing with a Stage 2 exploration and drilling programme it initiated in February, as well as redeveloping a 100 kW hydropower plant at Sahamamy.
The company will soon start building a new 18 000 t/y flake graphite production module at Sahamamy.