Evion Group NL (ASX:EVG) says further outstanding test results support the company’s strategy to develop downstream graphite processing business to supply battery anode makers in Europe.
Advanced testing by an independent German battery mineral consultancy Dorfner ANZAPLAN, using graphite from Evion’s Maniry Project in Madagascar, has returned fixed carbon grades of up to 99.99%, confirming the suitability of the process and the product.
Well above benchmark
This is well above the 99.95% fixed carbon grades adopted as a benchmark by manufacturers.
The concentrate sample was obtained from the large-scale pilot program completed in 2021.
The test work, conducted on concentrate sample obtained from the large-scale pilot program completed in 2021 used a proven technology that side-steps the use of hydrofluoric acid (HF), making this a greener form of purified graphite.
The tests also demonstrated low reagent consumption and low power requirements, both of which will result in materially lower operating costs.
The latest test results will be used in the Evion scoping study underway on a downstream graphite processing plant.
Offtake agreement
Evion has signed a non-binding offtake agreement with Urbix Resources Inc, USA under which Evion would provide 15,000Mtpa of product from Maniry to feed Urbix’s early stage production of anode material for the EV industry.
The agreement would account for around 40% of Maniry’s initial production, leaving sufficient product to also supply Evion’s proposed processing plant in Europe.
“These are exceptionally strong results which are well in excess of the fixed carbon grades adopted as a standard benchmark in the lithium battery industry,” said managing director Tom Revy.
“The results show Maniry graphite is perfectly suited for use in lithium batteries and can be processed in the required form using an environmentally friendly process which also requires less energy than more conventional processes.
“We will feed these results into the scoping study on the processing plant we are proposing to build in Europe. This plant will supply processed graphite as a feedstock to the battery anode makers.”
The recently completed Maniry definitive feasibility study found the project will be technically robust and deliver strong financial returns.