Renascor Resources Ltd (ASX:RNU) has started a bulk scale production program of Siviour Purified Spherical Graphite (PSG) to provide large-scale quantities to potential customers to support the progression towards binding offtake terms.
The company has delivered 63 tonnes of representative ore from the Siviour Graphite Deposit in South Australia to China for processing into graphite concentrates at a commercial graphite facility.
Concentrates will subsequently be milled and purified into PSG using the company’s eco-friendly, HF-free purification process.
Large-scale test requirements
Renascor managing director David Christensen said: “We are excited to be producing large-scale PSG samples as we continue to work with our prospective offtake partners toward final qualification and binding offtake agreements.
“This bulk sample program will permit us to meet large-scale test work requirements of both our current offtake partners, as well as additional prospective purchasers of Siviour PSG.”
Bulk scale program
The program involves processing 63 tonnes of representative ore from Renascor’s Siviour graphite deposit.
A bulk sample has been delivered to China for processing at an independent commercial graphite facility, where it previously undertook an 18-tonne pilot plant production trial, to produce graphite concentrates via conventional froth flotation.
Graphite concentrates generated from the flotation facility will be milled and then purified into PSG.
Renascor’s purification process is an eco-friendly alternative to the predominate method used in China, which uses hydrofluoric acid (HF).
Ecofriendly alternative
Over the last five years, the company has developed an HF-free purification process to process Siviour graphite into PSG.
Recent purification test-work by German industrial processing specialists, Dorfner Anzaplan, verified that the eco-friendly, HF-free downstream caustic roasting and leaching purification process has exceeded typical PSG purity specifications with results of up to 99.98% carbon.
Offtake commitments
The company has achieved potential commitments covering excess of 100% of Siviour stage 1 PSG production for 10 years, with non-binding MOUs for 10,000 tonnes per annum each executed with lithium-ion battery anode companies Shanxi Minguang New Material Technology Co and Jiangxi Zhengtuo New Energy Technology Co Ltd and leading Japanese-based global trading company Hanwa Co Ltd.
Minguang New Material is a subsidiary of Fujian Metallurgical Holding Co Ltd, one of China’s largest battery material groups and Zeto is an anode supplier to the battery giant BYD Co.
Renascor is assessing a major capacity upgrade contemplated via expedited feasibility work for the PSG plant stage 2 expansion due to the demand received from potential offtake partners.
The company has achieved first-stage qualification of its Siviour PSG with Minguang and Zeto and is moving towards final qualification via the generation and provision of bulk scale samples.