Blencowe Resources PLC (LSE:BRES) said the processing of 600 tonnes of raw material from its Orom-Cross graphite project in Uganda by Chinese partner Jilin New Technology Graphite is near completion.
“This commercial scale testing in China has been crucial to fast-track product qualification, bypassing the need for a costly pilot scale graphite processing facility at site,” Blencowe added.
Full results are expected shortly after the end of June but "excellent yields and recoveries delivered to date have highlighted the strong purity and characteristics of Orom-Cross graphite", Blencowe said in a statement.
Around 30 tonnes of graphite concentrate with a 55/45 mix of small flake/large flake is expected to be produced, providing a" substantial sample size" for testing by potential off-takers.
Small flake concentrate will be sent to Blencowe's SPG processing partner for further beneficiation to deliver approximately 10 tonnes of 99.95% uncoated SPG (spheronised purified graphite), the battery-ready product OEMs want to test.
Cameron Pearce, Blencowe’s executive chairman, commented: "We are thrilled to be nearing the completion of our 600-tonne bulk sample processing, which is a critical milestone in our DFS journey.
The excellent results so far underscore the high quality and potential of our Orom-Cross graphite.
“As we transition to the next phase, our focus remains on delivering premium, battery-ready graphite products that meet the stringent demands of our prospective tier-1 off-takers and OEMS.”
They want a battery-ready premium product, he added, especially the automotive industry for electric vehicle batteries.
“Successfully proving the quality of our end product at commercial scale at this early stage not only strengthens our position in the industry but also sets the stage for significant commercial advancements with offtakers and downstream partners.”