BlackEarth Minerals NL (ASX: BEM) (“BlackEarth”, the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has received results from laboratory testwork completed by the Beijing General Research Institute of Mining & Metallurgy (“BGRIMM”), for Stage 1 of the Agreed work (“Agreement”), undertaken to finalise all process engineering related matters, as part of the Company’s definitive feasibility study (“DFS”) on its Maniry Graphite Project in Southern Madagascar (“Maniry”, the “Project”).
Highlights
- Stage 1 pilot work program completed by BGRIMM, with results demonstrating improvements in both graphite recovery and final product grades.
- Stage 2 (60 tonne) pilot work expected to commence at BGRIMM’s Beijing facility in March 2020.
- Preliminary process plant equipment selection complete pending finalisation.
- DFS targeted to be completed in Q4 of 2020.
- Following the successful testwork from Stage 1, under the Agreement, a Stage 2 test program will be undertaken and is planned to be completed in Q2 of 2020.
Stage 1 of testwork by BGRIMM was based on an initial 250kg sample of Maniry graphite material, with results from this stage being used to confirm all work carried out at ALS Perth (ASX Release – 12 December 2018). The testwork also aimed to optimise process flow, reagent systems, industrial equipment selection and process operating conditions, for the Stage 2 large scale process pilot test.
The second stage of testwork to be undertaken by BGRIMM, will involve a large scale pilot test program, and will use approximately 60 tonnes of Maniry graphite ore. This stage will be used to optimise the Maniry flow sheet, provide final equipment specifications and produce sufficient material required to finalise legally binding offtake arrangements.
BlackEarth Managing Director, Tom Revy, commented: “The Completion of the Stage 1 testwork by BGRIMM is another milestone achieved in further advancing our current feasibility study and qualifying Maniry graphite concentrate as a high purity, large flake product, suitable for the use in refractory and expandable markets, and in the manufacture of lithium ion battery anodes. We look forward to BGRIMM completing Stage 2 of the test work, as the outcomes will be used to finalise our definitive feasibility study and offtake agreements.”
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