Ongoing metallurgical testing by Hazen Research has succeeded in purifying spherical graphite from the Bissett Creek deposit located in eastern Ontario up to 99.99% graphitic carbon (Cg) and large flake graphite to 99.83% Cg. These bench scale tests are the first step in demonstrating that the laboratory process developed by Northern Graphite Corp can be scaled to commercial levels. Hazen Research’s initial mandate was to test the laboratory process developed by Northern’s research partner in Canada, on bench scale models of commercial units. The trials were highly successful in purifying spherical graphite to levels ranging from 99.93% Cg to 99.99% Cg.The requirements of battery manufacturers vary in particle size and purity with the latter specification usually being in the 99.9 to 99.95% Cg range. Large flake graphite was purified to levels ranging from 99.73 to 99.83%Cg with further improvements possible.
The next steps will be to further scale up the process in a pilot plant test that will enable Hazen to define operating parameters at a commercial level and to estimate capital and operating costs. As part of this process, Northern and Hazen are presently working with an equipment manufacturer to identify the matching full scale commercial unit that can be modified to suit the process requirements. The ultimate objective is to define a purification process that works not only with spherical graphite for battery use, but also flake graphite and micronised flake graphite for other applications requiring high purity.
Spherical graphite is used to make the anodes in Li ion batteries and is manufactured from the flake concentrate produced by graphite mining operations. Almost all natural spherical graphite is currently produced in China and purified using strong acids which results in large volumes of acidic and toxic waste. Thermal purification at temperatures as high as 2,400⁰C can be used but it is expensive in terms of capital and operating costs. Northern says the proprietary purification technology it has developed with its metallurgical research partners “is much more environmentally friendly than the Chinese approach and operates at significantly lower temperatures than traditional thermal methods. It also involves relatively low retention times in the furnace and will likely be a continuous rather than a batch process. As a result, costs should be significantly lower.”
Hazen Research is currently purifying larger quantities of spherical graphite to provide potential strategic partners in the battery industry with samples made from Bissett Creek ore that has been processed using Northern’s commercial mill flowsheet and purified in an environmentally sustainable manner. It has already been successfully tested in batteries at the National Research Council of Canada.
Gregory Bowes, Chief Executive Officer: “The purification process and the production of spherical graphite are part of the company’s strategy to create value for shareholders by doing value added and downstream processing in addition to being a mine operator.”
Northern has filed a revised technical report on SEDAR with respect to the bankable feasibility study for its 100% owned Bissett Creek graphite deposit. The revised technical report has been filed to correct minor deficiencies in the original report, filed on SEDAR on August 24, 2012. There have been no material changes to the bankable feasibility study or the technical report.
Northern says it “is the only graphite company to have completed a bankable feasibility study and has a large flake, high purity, scalable deposit that is located close to infrastructure with very competitive operating costs.”
Commenting on the market, Northern notes: “China currently produces over 70% of the world’s graphite and an export tax and a licensing system have been instituted to restrict exports and encourage value added processing in China. Recently, the Chinese government proposed a new set of rules and standards for graphite mines which will make them much more difficult to operate and build. These proposals follow calls for REE type protection and quotas from Chinese producers, and the formation of a state owned amorphous graphite monopoly that has acquired and is consolidating 210 amorphous graphite mines down to 20 and reducing production capacity from 600,000 to 510,000 t/y. No new graphite mines were built during the recent economic cycle and the supply situation will become more acute as Chinese restrictions increase and economies recover.