Alba Mineral Resources plc, the diversified mineral exploration and development company, announces that it has completed a Phase 2 metallurgical testwork programme in respect of the Company’s exceptionally high- grade Amitsoq graphite project in southern Greenland.
This programme has confirmed that Amitsoq graphite is amenable to the production of a high-grade refined product and that a significant proportion of the flake graphite in the product comprises larger- sized flake graphite which attracts premium prices.
Highlights:
- Building on prior results, this round of testing confirms that a saleable (97.3% TGC) product can be produced from Amitsoq graphite.
· The Phase 2 testwork programme has been designed to maximise the level of high-value flake graphite in the refined product.
· Image analysis shows that 36% of the refined product consists of large, jumbo and super jumbo flake sizes, which attract a premium price in the graphite market.
· This is a very positive and potentially very significant result, as it indicates that higher-value flake graphite will be among the products that may be produced from Amitsoq graphite, which will greatly assist in the development of a positive technical economic model for the project.
· Alba will now move on to the design of a further phase of refining testwork.
George Frangeskides, Alba Executive Chairman, commented:
“This completed Phase 2 test programme for our exceptionally high-grade graphite project at Amitsoq confirms two very important things. Firstly, that a saleable, 97.3% product can be produced. And secondly, that in that refined product is included a significant proportion of the higher-value flake graphite that is sought-after for a range of industrial uses, which still underpin the majority of the demand for natural flake graphite globally. This will be very important for the future economics of the Amitsoq Project.”
“We will build on this latest phase of work with further refining testwork, and also to assess the amenability of Amitsoq graphite to produce a very high purity product suitable for the battery metals sector.”
“This completed work on one of our key assets provides us with great confidence as we move into 2020.”