Archer Materials Ltd (ASX:AXE) has submitted a Program for Environment Protection and Rehabilitation (PEPR) seeking to conduct drilling and mining operations at Campoona Graphite Project in South Australia.
The program has been submitted to the South Australian Government by Archer’s wholly-owned subsidiary Pirie Resources Pty Ltd.
It relates to the Campoona Mineral Lease (ML 6470), the site of the proposed Campoona Shaft graphite mine on the Eyre Peninsula.
“Next step” in development
Archer’s executive chairman Greg English said: “Submitting the PEPR application is the next step in the development of the high-grade Campoona Shaft graphite deposit.
“We have successfully prepared and lodged the PEPR within the period prescribed by the Mining Act.”
The company has made much progress on development of the Campoona project since the granting of a mineral lease in December 2017.
In April 2018, Archer announced that Campoona graphite is structurally near-perfect down to the atomic scale.
For use in li-ion batteries
On August 21, 2018, it announced that 99%+ and 95% natural Campoona flake graphite was used to produce commercially scalable full-cell configuration lithium-ion batteries at the University of NSW.
March 2019 saw the company announce the conversion of 95% and 99%+ natural flake graphite from Campoona into high-value spherical graphite using proprietary technology developed by Archer’s Japanese partner for integration into lithium-ion batteries.
Archer will pursue downstream partnership and development opportunities with lithium-ion battery manufacturers, graphite processing options, and high-value graphene and graphitic materials.
Bulk sample plan
The next step in the PEPR allows for a bulk sample up to 60 tonnes to be collected and for this sample to be processed off-site, including into graphite and graphene materials.
This would allow Archer to pursue downstream opportunities with battery manufacturers and end-users.
In addition to the Campoona project, advanced materials and the development of quantum computing technology remains a core focus of the company.
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