The Conversation (0)
Metals Australia Ltd (ASX:MLS) is very pleased to announce the achievement of 99.96% Cg spherical graphite purity, exceeding 99.95% Cg premium battery grade, in metallurgical test work on flake graphite concentrate from the Company’s high-grade Lac Rainy Graphite Project. Lac Rainy is situated in one of the world’s premier graphite regions in Quebec, Canada (see location, Figure 1).
Highlights
- Spherical graphite test work on concentrate from the Lac Rainy Graphite Project1 has achieved, above premium battery-grade, 99.96% spherical graphite carbon (Cg) purity.
- Very high-quality spherical graphite has been produced, that exceeds the specifications required by lithium-ion battery anode manufacturers globally, including:
- Very high yield of 63.5% recovered into the 20-micron spherical graphite product, well in excess of the industry average yield of 40-50%2.
- Consistent (very-steep) spherical graphite Particle Size Distribution (PSD) and spherical particle shape, after micronisation and spheroidization (see Image 1).
- High Tap Density of 0.97 kg/litre (density or battery-anode packing qualities of spheroids in lithium-ion battery). Well above acceptable standard of 0.90 kg/litre.
- The Company has now commenced electrochemical (lithium-ion battery charging and durability) testing of the highly-purified spherical graphite material.
- Over 10 times the drilled strike-length of graphitic trends3 identified on the Project4. Immense potential for resource growth to be tested with new drilling program(s).
Chairman Mike Scivolo commented: “The achievement of premium battery grade spherical graphite purity, exceeding the specifications required by global lithium-ion battery manufacturers and using environmentally responsible, cost-effective methods - is an outstanding outcome for the Company.
“This places the Lac Rainy Project in the top tier of high-quality graphite projects, with an ideal location close to North American markets where demand for such high-quality graphite products is high.
“We will now rapidly advance the project towards development, in parallel with finalising electrochemical test work in Germany and advancing discussions with potential offtakers.”
Outstanding High-Purity Spherical Graphite Test Work Results:
The spherical graphite (SpG) test work was carried out by the specialist graphite testing group, ProGraphite, in Germany, on Lac Rainy flake graphite concentrate which was re-assayed, producing a higher concentrate grade of 96.3% Cg (Loss on Ignition - LOI) than the original assay at SGS in Canada1.
The test work included three critical stages leading to the production of the high-quality, 99.96% Cg purified premium spherical graphite product. These included:
i) Micronisation (hammer milling) of the concentrate feed which achieved the targeted 20-micron (µm) average particle size with low energy input, producing very uniform micronised material suitable for spherical graphite production.
ii) Spheronisation of the micronised material using lower impact hammer milling, which produced:
- a very high recovery to spherical graphite product of 63.5% yield - well above industry average of 40-50% yield2.
- Spherical graphite particles which have a steep (consistent) particle size distribution (PSD) and well-rounded spherical particle shape (see Image 1, below).
- Tap density (the packing qualities of spherical graphite particles into a lithium-ion battery anode) is high at 0.97 kg/litre. This is well above the industry standard of 0.90 kg/litre.
iii) Purification of the spherical graphite:
- Low-temperature alkaline (sodium hydroxide - NaOH) caustic roast with hydrochloric acid (HCl) achieved minimum saleable battery grade (>99.9% Cg) of 99.93% Cg SpG purity.
- The addition of a minimal HF wash finish resulted in the achievement of 99.96% Cg (LOI 800°C) premium battery-grade spherical graphite purity.
- This outstanding purity result was confirmed with Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) analysis, showing negligible levels of deleterious elements.
The premium battery grade purity and physical properties of the Lac Rainy spherical graphite product have exceeded the specifications required by lithium-ion battery anode manufacturers.
Electrochemical (battery charging and durability) testing of the high purity spherical graphite has commenced. This work will test the performance of the spherical graphite as an anode material in lithium- ion batteries and will involve multiple testing cycles designed to measure the discharge efficiency of the material (irreversible capacity loss) and its durability or specific capacity (driving battery life). ProGraphite has advised the Company that the electrochemical test work will take approximately 10 weeks.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Metals Australia Ltd, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Metals Australia Investor Kit
- Corporate info
- Insights
- Growth strategies
- Upcoming projects
GET YOUR FREE INVESTOR KIT
Metals Australia
Overview
Metals Australia (ASX:MLS) is a mineral exploration company with a high-quality portfolio of advanced battery minerals and metals projects in Tier 1 mining jurisdictions of Western Australia and Canada. The portfolio comprises two critical minerals projects in Quebec, Canada — the Lac Carheil flake graphite project and the Corvette River lithium (and gold) project. The Australian portfolio comprises four projects: Tennant Creek (copper-gold) in the Northern Territory and Warrambie (lithium, nickel-copper, gold), Murchison (gold) and Manindi (lithium, vanadium-titanium, zinc) – all in Western Australia.
The push for net zero targets and the call from policymakers to transition to cleaner energy has intensified the focus on electric vehicles (EVs) and battery storage. The EV automakers and battery manufacturers, rely on essential materials such as graphite and metals, including lithium, nickel, copper and cobalt, to manufacture the batteries that are used in these vehicles and storage batteries generally. This has driven carmakers and battery manufacturers to partner with battery material suppliers under direct off-take agreements. Further, some automakers/battery manufacturers are buying equity stakes in miners, involving them directly in financing decisions for the development of mining projects. This is encouraging for companies such as Metals Australia as it actively advances its projects towards development.
Figure 2 – Graphite is a Critical Mineral required for the mass electrification of auto transportation.
Metals Australia is focused on progressing its flagship Lac Carheil flake graphite project in Quebec, Canada. The project is well-positioned to supply high quality graphite products, including battery-grade graphite to the North American market – including for lithium-ion and EV battery production in the future. The company announced positive sampling results across a 36-km strike length of identified graphite trends at Lac Carheil, including many values over 20% Cg and an exceptionally high-grade sample containing over 63% Cg. The company has planned a drilling program to test new high-grade zones identified from the sampling program, which will form the basis for upgrading the existing Lac Carheil Mineral Resource. An application for the drilling program is progressing with the Quebec regulator. Additionally, the company has recently commenced a Flake Graphite concentrate prefeasibility study with Lycopodium in Ontario and a downstream battery anode plant design with ANZAPLAN in Germany.
Metals Australia is also advancing its lithium, gold and silver exploration project at Corvette River, which is adjacent to Patriot Battery Metals’ world-class lithium project. Further, the company carries out aggressive exploration programs at its other projects, including Manindi, Warrambie & the Murchison in Western Australia and Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory region of Australia.
Metals Australia is well-funded to complete all its planned exploration and project studies. The cash position at the end of Q1 2024 was AU$17.86 million, which we note was higher than the company’s market capital at current share price. Metals Australia benefits from a team of professionals boasting extensive expertise in geology and mining. The appointment of experienced mining executive Paul Ferguson as the CEO is positive for the company. Since joining in January 2024, he has significantly advanced planning and preparation for the exploration, metallurgical test work programs, and design studies required to move its flagship Lac Carheil high-grade graphite project towards development. The Corvette Project has also completed exploration planning and is now fully permitted for drilling and trenching work during the northern hemisphere summer.
Company Highlights
- Metals Australia is rapidly advancing its flag ship Lac Carheil Graphite Project in Quebec, Canada. In addition, the company has a suite of high-quality exploration projects – including Lithium, Gold and Silver in Quebec, Canada and Lithium, Gold, Copper & Vanadium in Western Australia (WA) and the Northern Territory (NT).
- All projects are in Tier-1 mining jurisdictions (Canada and Australia) with world-class prospectivity and stable geo-politically.
- The company has six key exploration and development projects:
- two in Canada: the Lac Carheil high-grade flake graphite project and the Corvette River lithium and gold-silver-copper exploration project, and,
- four in Australia: Warrambie (lithium, nickel-copper, gold), Murchison (gold) and Manindi (lithium, vanadium-titanium, zinc-silver) in WA, and Tennant Creek (Warrego East copper-gold) in the NT.
- The focus is to rapidly advance its flagship Lac Carheil Graphite Project towards development. A drilling program is already contracted to substantially increase the existing JORC 2012 Mineral Resource of 13.3 Mt @ 11.5 percent graphitic carbon (Cg) and test the potential of the many other identified high-grade graphite trends.
- The 2020 Scoping Study on Lac Carheil based on the existing resource, representing only 1km of drilling out of the total 36kms of identified graphite trends, indicates a 14-year mine life with a production of 100,000 tons per annum and a pre-tax NPV @ 8 percent of US$123 million (~AUD$190 million).
- There are multiple catalysts at Lac Carheil in the near term including a pre-feasibility study (PFS) (underway), a scoping study on downstream battery (anode) - grade graphite production, and planned drilling aiming to at least double the resource as well as test other identified high-grade graphite trends.
- Furthermore, other projects in Canada including the Corvette River lithium and gold targets, and exploration in Australia at Manindi, Warrambie, Murchison and Warrego – are all seeing active progress.
- The company is well-funded to complete all its planned exploration and project studies. The cash position at the end of Q1 2024 was AU$17.86 million.
- Metals Australia is led by a seasoned board and management team possessing extensive mining sector experience and a proven track record of successful discoveries and project developments. With funding in place, the company is well-positioned to capitalise on growth prospects.
Figure 1 – Location of Metals Australia’s projects in the Tier 1 Mining Jurisdictions in Quebec, Canada and Australia’s Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
Key Projects
Canada
Lac Carheil Flake Graphite Project (MLS 100%)
Conceptual 3D Mining layout from February 2021 Scoping Study (Lac Carheil Project formerly named Lac Rainy Project)
The Lac Carheil Graphite Project is located in eastern Quebec, Canada, a tier 1 mining jurisdiction with access to excellent infrastructure, including hydroelectric power facilities. The project hosts an existing JORC 2012 mineral resource of 13.3 million tons (Mt) @ 11.5 percent graphitic carbon, which was announced in 2020 and a scoping study was completed and reported on in early 2021. Battery test work followed, in Germany, and this demonstrated the Lac Carheil Graphite concentrate could be shaped, purified, coated and used in battery applications with excellent results. Given the above work, the company carried out further field work, recently announcing exceptionally high-grade sampling results from 80 samples on 10 identified graphitic trends across the property. This included a sample containing 63 percent graphitic carbon, and 10 samples containing over 20% Cg. The average grade of the sampling was 11% Cg, which is comparable to the current high-grade resource. The combined strike length of the identified high-grade graphitic zones is over 36 kms. This compares to just 1 km of drilling on 1.6 kms of graphite trend that was utilised to obtain the existing resource. The potential for expanding and upgrading the existing resource remains enormous.
Figure 4 –Lac Carheil Graphite Project - Electromagnetic imagery outlining graphite trends and the resource
Additional drilling and development studies are either planned or are already underway, including a pre-feasibility study for a high grade Flake graphite concentrate product – which has commenced and a downstream purification options assessment and a scoping study for a battery anode facility in North America, which has been contracted. The company also announced it is contract ready for its planned drilling program and will fast-track the program as soon as permits are received from the Quebec regulator.
Corvette River Lithium Project (MLS 100%)
Corvette River Lithium, gold and silver Project is located in Quebec’s James Bay region Metals Australia recently announced that it is fully permitted to advance an extensive field exploration program across its holdings which include the wholly owned East Pontois, Felicie and West Pontois projects, situated within Patriot Battery Metals' (ASX:PMT) CV Lithium Trend, as well as tenements at West and East Eade in the company's parallel Corvette River South Trend. A field mapping and sampling program concluded last year and identified large, potentially lithium-bearing pegmatites immediately along strike from Patriot Battery Metals’ world-class lithium pegmatite discoveries. Additionally, the company has flagged significant gold and silver samples from its review of work previously completed across the field as is illustrated in the diagram below.
Figure 5 – The Corvette Projects in the James Bay region of Canada. Prospective for Lithium, Gold & Silver
Australian Projects
Warrambie Project (MLS 80%)
The Warrambie project is located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is 20 kms west of the Andover Lithium discovery (Azure Minerals (ASX:AZS). Metals Australia has completed geophysical surveys across the area and is identifying targets for further field exploration and drilling.
Tennant Creek (Copper-Gold) Project (MLS 80%)
Metals Australia acquired the tenements as part of a package purchased from Payne Gully Gold in 2022. The company’s tenements include a granted exploration license (E32725) directly along strike to the east of the Warrego copper-gold deposit, which has a production of 1.45 Million Ounces of gold at 8 grams per tonne and over 90,000 tonnes of Copper at 2%. The Warrego mine operated from the late 1950’s through until 1989. It was found under sedimentary cover. The area and this land package is under detailed review utilizing available geophysical surveys. The company aims to identify further targets hidden under shallow sediment cover.
Murchison Gold Project (MLS 80%)
The Murchison tenements were also acquired as part of the Payne Gully Gold transaction. Metals Australia owns exploration licenses at the Murchison gold project, which is adjacent to the >5 million ounces (Moz) Big Bell gold deposit. The company plans to conduct detailed magnetics and gravity surveys to test for extensions and repeats of high-grade gold deposits.
Manindi Project (MLS 80%)
The Manindi project is located in the Murchison District, approximately 500 kms northeast of Perth in Western Australia. The project comprises three mining leases and has an established high-grade zinc mineral resource. The metallurgical test work has located spodumene in samples from a high-grade lithium intersection of 12m @ 1.38 percent lithium oxide, including 3m @ 2.12 percent lithium oxide. The company also made a new vanadium-titanium discovery at the Manindi project.Management Team
Paul Ferguson – Chief Executive Officer
A Mining Engineer, Paul Ferguson has over three decades of experience in the resources and energy sectors across North America, Asia and Australia. He has extensive project development and operational experience working in Canada. He has worked in oil & gas major ExxonMobil across project stages, including feasibility, design, construction, and operation. He has worked in Executive level roles within Australia, including at GMA Garnet and held increasingly more senior roles with BHP (Iron Ore & Coking Coal) and then with Exxon Coal Minerals and Mobil Oil Australia during the early stages of his career.
Tanya Newby – CFO and Joint Company Secretary
Tanya Newby is a finance and governance professional with over 20 years experience in various corporate and commercial roles. She has a strong background in the resources sector and has provided financial advice and assistance to a number of publicly listed entities through exploration, project development through to the production stage. Tanya is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Member of the Governance Institute of Australia and a Graduate Member of the Institute of Company Directors.
Michael Muhling – Joint Company Secretary
Michael Muhling has over two decades of experience in the resources, including 15 years in senior roles with ASX-listed companies. He is a fellow of CPA Australia, The Chartered Governance Institute, and the Governance Institute of Australia.
John Dugdale – Technical Advisor
John Dugdale is a geologist with over 35 years of experience in the discovery and development of graphite, lithium, gold, nickel and copper projects. His corporate experience includes serving as a director and CEO of several junior resource companies focused on nickel-cobalt, graphite and copper-gold projects. Additionally, he has experience in funds management with Lion Selection Group.
Chris Ramsay – General Manager Geology
Chris Ramsay is a geologist and project manager with over 25 years of experience in the global mining industry. He has been involved in exploration, mine development and operations for mining projects in Australasia, Southeast Asia, and parts of Africa and North America.
Board
Michael Scivolo – Non-executive Chairman
Michael Scivolo has extensive accounting and taxation experience for corporate and non-corporate entities. He was a partner/director at a CPA firm until 2011 and has since been consulting in accounting and taxation. Scivolo is on the boards of several ASX-listed mining companies, including Sabre Resources, Golden Deeps and Tennant Minerals Ltd.
Alexander Biggs – Non-executive Director
Alexander Biggs has over 20 years of experience in the mining and engineering sector. During his career, he has been involved in various activities, including operations, consulting, finance and capital raising. He is currently the managing director of Lightning Minerals (ASX) and was previously the managing director of Critical Resources (ASX:CRR). Biggs is a member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and a graduate of the Western Australian School of Mines.
Rachelle Domansky – Non-executive Director
Rachelle Domansky is an ESG specialist and a consulting psychologist for businesses, governments and educational institutions in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition to Metals Australia, Rachelle holds non-executive board positions at Quebec Lithium and Access Plus WA Deaf.
Basil Conti – Non-executive Director
Basil Conti has been associated with the mining industry for over 25 years. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia & NZ and was a partner/director of a chartered accounting firm in West Perth until 2015.
Unconformity Uranium Drill Targets Identified from 2024 Geophysical Data
Key Highlights
- Final data received and interpretation completed for the ground electromagnetic geophysical surveys from the winter 2024 program at the Marshall and North Millennium projects.
- Several conductive anomalies identified at Marshall, located above and below the unconformity, consistent with regional exploration model.
- Stacked anomalies concurrently with multigenerational geophysical data provides a base to assess the exploration targets and refine drillhole targets.
- The projects are located 15 kilometres from the majority Cameco owned Millennium deposit, and just 40km from the world class McArthur River mine.
- Basin remains funded for the next round of field exploration.
The ground electromagnetic successfully identified 3 main targets which confirms the geological and exploration model. Of note is Target 1 (Figure 1), where modelled EM plates below the unconformity align with a sandstone ZTEM anomaly, which is interpreted to be alteration within sandstone. The identification of these targets is encouraging and consistent with regional trends in the southeastern Athabasca and provides increased confidence in drill hole targeting. Basin is currently reviewing options and priorities of how to progress exploration of these confirmed targets.
Basin’s Managing Director, Pete Moorhouse, commented:
“Conducting ground geophysical surveys on Marshall and North Millennium was a milestone in advancing these underexplored projects in Basin’s uranium portfolio. The form of these anomalies is highly encouraging given the proximity to some of the world’s largest uranium deposits.”
Key results
Following the encouraging conductive anomalism highlighted by the 2023 3D inversion of two historic airborne Electromagnetics (Z‐Tipper Axis) (“ZTEM”) datasets partially covering the current North Millennium and Marshall projects3,4, Basin contracted Discovery International Geophysics5 to carry out ground Stepwise Moving Loop Transient Electromagnetic (‘Ground EM’) surveys on areas of immediate interest within the Projects.
Figure 1 Three main anomalies shown from 2024 ground EM, in plan view (top diagrams) and cross- section looking northeast (bottom diagram). The ground EM anomalies are displayed with the modelled plates against the historical ZTEM data.
The 2024 Ground EM survey data returned six conductive anomaly picks producing three main target areas (Figure 1). The anomalies correlate strongly with the southern edge of the circular ZTEM conductive anomaly at Marshall and the interpreted northern edge of the circular anomaly identified in the historic data. A weaker EM pick was also interpreted centred between the two prominent ZTEM conductivity anomalies.
Three-dimensional modelling using Maxwell produced six electromagnetic conductive plates within the basement stratigraphy, all below the unconformity (Figure 1). The two southeastern plates are clearly aligning with a conductive sandstone ZTEM anomaly identified from the historic data, which is above the interpreted unconformity. This is interpreted as potential basal sandstone alteration proximal to the EM anomalies and constitutes a high-priority drill target area, refer figure 2.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Basin Energy, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Airborne EM over Multiple Targets on Ti-Tree Project
- Augustus Minerals has contracted UTS Geophysics to conduct a VTEM Max survey over several Copper, Cu-Ni-PGE, Zn-Pb-Ag and Uranium targets along the money Intrusion and within proximity of the prospective 85k long Ti-Tree Shear.
- The surveys will cover:
- The Money Intrusion, prospective for Cu-Ni-PGE mineralisation.
- Copper Ridge and Nics Bore over anomalous Copper Drilling results
- The Coo Creek prospect where drilling by Augustus in 2023 identified strongly anomalous Zn-Pb-Ag mineralisation.
- The Munaballya Well North area which shows potential for economic Uranium mineralisation.
- The surveys will help to advance the untapped potential of the Ti-Tree project to host economic mineralisation of multiple commodities.
Andrew Ford, GM Exploration
“The VTEM survey will provide key targeting data over three highly prospective and different prospects with potential for multiple commodities. Whilst the high prospectivity for copper mineralisation has been well documented, the addition of uranium and Broken Hill base metal style mineralisation highlights the quality of the underexplored Ti-Tree project”.
VTEM
UTS Geophysics has been engaged to conduct a helicopter borne VTEM Max survey comprising 646-line km over three separate survey areas. The system is excellent for locating discrete conductive anomalies as well as mapping lateral and vertical variations in resistivity which helps map structure, alteration and rock type. The system also collects magnetic data through a caesium magnetometer. The transmitter/receiver loop is suspended on a cable approximately 40m below the helicopter (Figure 1).
Figure 1 VTEM Max helicopter deployed electromagnetic survey arrangement.
Figure 2 Prospects and VTEM Survey areas.
Money Intrusion
The Money Intrusion, which has proven potential to host Ni-Cu-Co-PGE (platinum group elements), is part of the regional Mundine Well Dolerite Suite, a regionally extensive dolerite (strike length >80km). This extensive mafic intrusion, which is comprised of a variety of lithologies, including gabbro in the core, olivine dolerite on the chilled lower contact or keel and fine-grained dolerite on the outer edges. Mapping, aeromagnetics and multi-spectral imagery show that the Money Intrusion within the Ti-Tree Project covers a strike length greater than 16km, reaching widths >600m in the north of E09/23241.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Augustus Minerals, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Latest Kameelburg Assays Up To 10.38% Nb2o5 and 9.89% TREO
Highlights
- A total of 74 highly prospective rock samples recently collected from various beforsite and mafic dykes
- Most notable assays reveal up to 10.38% Nb2O5 and 9.89% TREO
- Large scale geological mapping of Kameelberg carbonatite is nearing completion
- Track access clearance & preparation for underground water supplies underway for upcoming maiden diamond drilling programme
Results from recently collected seventy-four (74) samples were received and highlighted the REE rich nature of the carbonatite with TREO(+Y) assays ranging from 1.16 to 9.89%, refer to Figure 1 for samples locations and Table 1 for results.
Figure 1: Southern Carbonatite Margin Geological mapping area with rock chip samples
Niobium Results Along Mafic Dykes
In addition to sampling the carbonatite plug, a further four (4) samples were collected across the Nb dyke zone on the southwest flank of the carbonatite. Results for these samples ranged from 5.44% to 10.38% Nb2O5. This provides additional confidence to previous niobium findings (see announcements dated 28 February 2024 and 27 December 2023). Table 2 compiles the Nb results with Figure 2 depicting recent sample locations in relation to the previous Nb2O5 results.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Aldoro Resources, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Metals Australia Investor Kit
- Corporate info
- Insights
- Growth strategies
- Upcoming projects