International Graphite Ltd (ASX:IG6) is progressing plans for what is intended to be Australia’s first commercial graphite micronising facility at Collie, Western Australia, having executed a land sale contract with DevelopmentWA for about 6,000 square metres across three lots in the Collie Light Industrial Area, opposite its existing R&D facility.
A development application has been lodged with the Shire of Collie. IG6 has also submitted a power application to Western Power to secure electricity for both initial operations and a planned expansion to about 7,500 tonnes per annum of micronised product.
A detailed plant design with local contractor ProsserBuilt is underway and is expected to be completed during the development approval phase.
Managing director and CEO Andrew Worland said suitable industrial land in the South West is increasingly scarce amid ongoing development, adding that the company expects the planned infrastructure to lift the site’s value beyond its sunk cost.
“The Collie Micronising Facility will bring Australian graphite products to market at a time of significant supply-side uncertainty. We have received strong interest from Australian consumers and manufacturers keen to secure local supply and avoid extended delays in sourcing graphite from overseas. Several companies are testing our products for suitability in their manufacturing processes.
“Achieving these milestones marks further significant progress in International Graphite’s strategy to be a leading western industrial graphite specialist provider.”
IG6 secures tech licence for European expandable graphite plant
IG6 has strong momentum at the moment, having last week secured a processing technology package and commercial licence for its proposed expandable graphite plant in Europe, a key step in the project’s feasibility study. The agreement provides access to processing IP for the study and a licence for commercial use, allowing the team to finalise plant design and operational planning.
Read more: International Graphite locks in process tech for European expandable graphite plant
Process testwork is under way on a range of graphite concentrate feedstocks, with results to inform feedstock selection, flowsheet design and final product specifications.
