Northern Graphite Corporation, Ottawa, Canada, (NGC:TSX-V, NGPHF:OTCQB) has announced that purification testing carried out on graphite concentrates from its Bissett Creek deposit, Ontario, Canada, has demonstrated that they can be easily purified to battery standards using either acid or alkaline based processes. This is the second phase of testing in evaluating use of the Company’s concentrates in the manufacture of lithium ion battery anode material (“BAM”). The results were excellent and comparable to the performance of thermal purification as Fe, Zn, Cr, Al, Si levels were far below the typical limits required for BAM. Testing was carried out by ProGraphite which is located in Germany and is one of the world’s leading graphite R&D laboratories with over several decades of professional expertise and experience.
“Bissett Creek is one of very few deposits that is located close to markets, has a high percentage of large flakes and already has robust economics based on higher margin industrial markets,” said Northern CEO, Greg Bowes. “However, traditional markets would be overwhelmed if the EV sales forecasts of automobile manufacturers are realized, and all production may need to be turned into BAM regardless of flake size. Testing continues to show that Bissett Creek will have a big role to play in the fast approaching, transformation of the automotive industry.”
The first step in producing BAM is micronizing and rounding mine concentrate. It has already been demonstrated that Bissett Creek concentrates produce a high yield of BAM precursor with a relatively steep particle size distribution and high tap density. The latter is a function of the concentrate’s high bulk density, a requirement for high quality BAM. Not all graphite deposits have these characteristics nor does the nature of their mineralogy/impurities enable them to be economically purified to battery standards. The latest tests, along with previous work, indicate that Bissett Creek concentrates can be readily purified with acid, alkaline, thermal or chlorination methods. Almost all BAM is currently produced in China where purification is predominantly done using hydrofluoric acid. This creates a number of environmental, workplace health and safety, and transportation issues.
About Northern Graphite
Northern Graphite is a mineral development and technology company focussed on developing its Bissett Creek graphite deposit and upgrading mine concentrates into high value components used in lithium-ion batteries, electric vehicles, fuel cells, graphene and other advanced technologies. An independent study estimates that Bissett Creek will have the highest margin of any existing or proposed graphite deposit due to its very favorable location, simple metallurgy and the high quality of its concentrates which the Company believes will provide a competitive advantage in manufacturing products for the green economy.
Bissett Creek is an advanced stage project with a full Feasibility Study and its major mining permit which puts the Company in position to make a construction decision, subject to financing. The Project is located in the southern part of Canada between the cities of North Bay and Ottawa and close to the Trans-Canada highway providing ready access to labour, supplies, equipment, natural gas and markets.
Qualified Person
Gregory Bowes, B.Sc. MBA, P. Geo., a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and is responsible for the technical information in this news release.