Sovereign Metals Produces Graphite with a 99.9995 Percent Purity

Sovereign Metals Limited (ASX:SVM) reports that downstream application test work has produced ultra-high purity levels of 99.9995 weight percent C from its Malingunde natural crystalline flake graphite. The purification process utilizes a simple high temperature process, which as a result of inherent uniqueness of the Malingunde flake graphite, requires low energy input to efficiently achieve some of the highest purity graphite in the world.

Ultra-high purity graphite is used in downstream applications which require strict control over impurities in the material, such as the production of semiconductors and photovoltaics for industries which include lithium-ion batteries, aerospace, electronics and nuclear energy.

As quoted from the press release:

HIGHLIGHTS:

Ultra-high purity “5-nines” 99.9995 weight percent C graphite (by LOI analysis) produced via non-acid leach technique. Test work undertaken using proprietary thermal purification process conducted at reduced temperature, requiring lower energy input and therefore having a significantly reduced CO2 footprint compared to other thermal technologies. Extremely low content of total impurities of less than 5 ppm against generally accepted maximum of 490 ppm for most advanced battery applications. Thermal purification is far more environmentally friendly than the incumbent commercial method which uses hydrofluoric acid.

The company is undertaking further downstream test work to demonstrate the suitability of Malingunde concentrates for a range of end-user applications, including the optimization of spherical graphite production, with results to be released to the market in the coming weeks.

Sovereign’s managing director, Dr Julian Stephens commented, “Achieving 5-nines purity in a simple and cost-efficient manner is a very important milestone in enabling entry into the emerging Li-ion battery sector and other value-add markets. Entry to emerging markets, combined with sales to high-volume, high-value, traditional markets such as refractories, foundries and other industrial applications provides Sovereign with unique product marketing optionality and the potential to sell Malingunde concentrates to a wide range of customers.”

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