Gratomic Inc has updated on the operational readiness (OR) of its Aukam processing plant in Namibia, revealing that the 'entire front end' of the plant has now been commissioned.
"The rod mill is mechanically completed and ready for next steps. The work continues on the remaining plant components in preparation for the company's goal of product in bag, (PIB)," the firm added in the statement.
Notably, at the plant, the crushing and screen circuit was initially designed to accommodate 12 tonnes per hour (tph) but trials have shown that it will easily accommodate up to 30 tph of graphite mineral throughput at 75-millimeter (mm) feed size, the company also told investors.
In addition, outdoor lighting has been installed giving Aukam 24-hour capability, upon achieving operational status at 51% of total output capacity on the initial 20,000 tonnes per annum (tpa).
READ: Gratomic ranked among top performing mining companies by TSX Venture 50 for 2022
The lab, offices, cloakrooms, and residences are also anticipated to be completed in coming weeks.
Armando Farhate, COO and head of graphite marketing and sales, and Karl Trudeau, head of operations, Namibia, will travel to Aukam to oversee the finalization process of the OR plan, said Gratomic.
The run of mine (ROM) pad has been completed next to the grizzly (grate for ore) and the historical stockpiles have been moved there.
Airborne geophysics surveys are currently underway to identify additional drill targets beyond the current mining license on existing exploration prospecting license (EPL).
Gratomic also highlighted that graphite prices have been steadily increasing, with price appreciations between 15% and 29% in the last six months.
"Based on that, the company has decided to base all its negotiations for future supply on a spot basis," it told investors.
Gratomic is focused on becoming a leading global graphite supplier and aims to secure a strong position in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain. It has projects in Namibia, Brazil, and Canada.
Contact the writer at giles@proactiveinvestors.com