Evion Group NL (ASX: EVG) has received outstanding test results which further underpin the company’s strategy to establish a standalone downstream graphite processing business to supply the lithium battery industry in Europe.
The test work by leading German battery mineral consultancy Dorfner ANZAPLAN confirmed the suitability of a hydrofluoric acid-free technology to purify the company’s concentrate from the Maniry Project in Madagascar into a battery- grade product, with results of up to 99.99% fixed carbon (FC).
The concentrate sample used (Maniry fine -195) was obtained from the large-scale pilot program completed in 2021.
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,” Evion MD Tom Revy said.
“The results show Maniry graphite is perfectly suited for use in lithium batteries and can be processed into 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 test results follow Evion’s recent announcement of 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.
Highlights
- Advanced testing by an independent German battery mineral consultancy using graphite from Evion’s Maniry project in Madagascar has returned fixed carbon grades of up to 99.99%
- These are exceptionally strong results which are well above the 99.95% fixed carbon grades adopted as a standard benchmark by battery anode manufacturers
- The test work used proven technology without hydrofluoric acid (HF), highlighting its status as a greener form of purified graphite
- The tests also demonstrated low reagent consumption and low power requirements; Both these factors 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
- Evion proposes to build the plant in Europe, where it would supply feedstock for battery anode manufacturers
- The recently completed Maniry Definitive Feasibility Study found the project will be technically robust and deliver strong financial returns (see ASX release dated November 3, 2022)
- 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 ~40% of Maniry’s initial production, leaving sufficient product to also supply Evion’s proposed processing plant in Europe.
