Plus 99% TGC Flake Graphite Confirmed Across 3 Key Deposits
Melbourne, Aug 2, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Volt Resources Limited (
ASX:VRC) ("Volt" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the latest round of optimised test results from its metallurgical test-work program, which confirmed the ability to produce +99% TGC concentrates across all three of its key graphite deposits from the Namangale project. This further demonstrates the quality of graphite that has been discovered across Volt's vast Namangale tenement package.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Latest test-work confirms all three key deposits can achieve exceptional purity above 99% total graphitic carbon ("TGC")
- New results achieved Namangale 1 TGC 99.2%, Namangale 2 TGC 99.6% and Namangale 3 TGC 99.5%
- Industry leading flake distribution confirmed up to 81.3% in the +500 microns Super Jumbo, +300 microns Jumbo and +180 microns Large flake categories
- All results achieved from at surface test pits via a simple flotation process without the use of industrial chemicals
- Volt is confident Namangale can deliver exceptional product to the stringent demands imposed by top-tier lithium-ion battery manufacturers
- Confirms Volt is in an excellent position to command highest basket price from tier one customers in the battery sector
- Bulk samples from test pits are now being processed to provide concentrates to current and prospective off-take partners
INTRODUCTION
The concentrates were produced from bulk samples obtained from at surface test pits at the Namangale project and produced using a conventional circuit of milling and flotation that was carried out at ALS in Perth. No industrial chemicals were used to achieve these results.
As per Figure 1 (see link below), the latest results from Namangale 1 demonstrate this is a very high quality deposit that can produce concentrates of purity up to 99.2% in the +300 micron category and, moreover, that Super Jumbo material is recoverable. Volt continues to refine its test-work program at Namangale 1 and is confident that both grade and flake size can be improved upon.
Figure 2 (see link below) highlights the latest results from Namangale 2 which demonstrate this deposit can produce excellent concentrates. The quality of this deposit can be demonstrated across both flake size and purity: firstly, Test 53 shows exceptional purity of up to 99.6% in the +300 and +150 micron categories; secondly, as previously reported1, Test 49 confirms the highest Super Jumbo and Jumbo graphite flake distribution among our East African peer group.
In addition, management is extremely pleased to see outstanding results from Namangale 3. Indications show this is another high quality deposit for Volt, as test-work is further refined. With TGC of up to 99.5% in the +300 micron category and the presence of Super Jumbo, these results can only be improved on with additional test-work.
Volt's ongoing discussions with current and prospective off-take partners continues to demonstrate the "in demand" nature of Super Jumbo, Jumbo and Large flake size, with the Company's flake distribution also anticipated to lead to a higher blended basket price.
Furthermore, it is important to reiterate that concentrate graphite from Namangale has not been chemically treated to remove impurities. In fact, only a simple crushing then flotation process has been used to separate out the graphite. This potentially delivers a comparative cost advantage over peers that may have to deploy costly methods to extract impurities that compromise product quality.
Collectively, at this juncture, Volt is on track to achieve management's core objective of generating the highest revenue and margins relative to peers.
Overall, the test-work results continue to demonstrate to the market that the Namangale project is first rate and can deliver product - suitable for commercial applications - that meets the lithium-ion battery sectors' strict quality requirements.
Executive Chairman, Stephen Hunt commented: "The quality of the product generated by this latest test-work is exceptional. Of particular significance is the fact that the high grade TGC is being generated across all three deposits. In essence we have a combination of extremely favourable flake size distribution and high grade TGC that can be optimised in order to achieve the highest basket price possible for our product. This is a tremendous fillip for our project."
CONCLUSION
The Board of Volt Resources believes these results to date will aid gaining further traction with end-users in the lithium-ion battery sector, whilst they demonstrate the Namangale project is shaping up faster than expected to be a world-class graphite deposit.
To view tables and figures, please visit:
http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/KC3BTMOQ
About Volt Resources Ltd
Volt Resources Ltd (ASX:VRC) (FRA:RBL) (OTCMKTS:VLTRF) is critical minerals and battery material company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. We are a graphite producer and an emerging natural graphite anode producer. Volt has a 70% interest in the Zavalievsky Graphite business in Ukraine. The ZG mine and processing facilities have been in operation since 1934 and are near key markets with significant developments in lithium-ion battery production. ZG benefits from an existing customer base and graphite product supply chains based on excellent transport infrastructure covering road, rail, river, and sea freight combined with reliable grid power, ample potable ground water supply and good communications.
Volt acquired three licence applications that are prospective for lithium-borate mineralisation. The licence applications are in respect to a total area of 291km2, located in Serbia and are west and south-west of the Serbian capital, Belgrade.
Volt is progressing the development of its large wholly owned Bunyu Graphite Project in Tanzania. The Bunyu Graphite Project is ideally located near to critical infrastructure with sealed roads running through the project area and ready access to the deep-water port of Mtwara 140km from the Project. In 2018, Volt reported the completion of the Feasibility Study into the Stage 1 development of the Bunyu Graphite Project. The Stage 1 development is based on a mining and processing plant annual throughput rate of 400,000 tonnes of ore to produce on average 23,700tpa of graphite products. A key objective of the Stage 1 development is to establish infrastructure and market position in support of the development of the significantly larger Stage 2 expansion project at Bunyu.
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