Great Lakes Achieves 99 Percent Carbon Purity with ‘Simple Flotation Process’

Great Lakes Graphite Inc. (TSXV:GLK,OTC Pink:GLKIF) announced results from an ongoing graphite mineral beneficiation program that’s currently underway. The program is partially aimed at figuring out the highest purity levels that can be achieved using flake material from the company’s Lochaber graphite project, and so far results show that purity levels of up to 99 percent can be achieved “using only a simple flotation process.”

As quoted in the press release:

These tests were performed on fine material (-140 mesh) from the Lochaber Graphite Project, which is typically of lower purity and lower value.  The material used for this test reported a head grade of 20.2%.  The table below shows assay results obtained at the successive stages:

Results of this testing concluded that with minimal grinding and a two-stage flotation; consistent results over 95% and ultimately 99% was achieved.Recently, GLK announced the discovery of hydrothermal vein type graphite (News Release: March 31, 2015).  It was determined that the hydrothermal graphite was reporting with the fine flake material. Due to this discovery, GLK performed further grinding and flotation work to identify whether the fine material could be upgraded.

Reaching this objective with a simple, low-cost flotation procedure will enable the company to maximize the value of the smaller flake in the deposit by using it to produce higher, value-added carbon products.

The Company will now conduct a further series of tests that use a caustic leach process, which will determine the ability to upgrade the material further to the extremely high purity levels required for  high-tech applications.

Paul Gorman, CEO of Great Lakes, commented:

These latest purity test results demonstrate the high quality of natural graphite at Lochaber. It is important to note that the focus of this particular set of tests performed on the fine material, represents over 20% of the Lochaber Graphite Project. The fine material at Lochaber is particularly interesting to us in that the naturally high purity levels mean less processing, time and energy is required to increase purity to the levels that are required for value added products.

Click here to read the full Great Lakes Graphite Inc. (TSXV:GLK,OTC Pink:GLKIF) press release.