Australian-based, African-focused developer Sovereign Metals has commenced a bulk sample program at its Kasiya graphite site in Malawi.
The program will take an initial four tonnes of flake graphite pre-concentrate produced at the company’s laboratory ready for dispatch to the SGS Lakefield, where laboratory upgrades are now under way to enable continuous production of bulk sample going forward.
“Initial characterisation testwork on Kasiya’s graphite has already indicated excellent suitability for use in lithium-ion batteries,” the company said, adding that the bulk sample program is in line with Sovereign’s graphite marketing strategy to establish Kasiya as a major supplier of two critical minerals: natural flake graphite and natural rutile.
It will subsequently actively market Kasiya’s graphite to end users, and at current has secured rutile offtake MoUs with major partners Mitsui of Japan and U.S.-listed Chemours.
“Malawi has the potential to be the one of the world’s lowest cost and lowest global warming potential (GWP) sources of natural rutile and graphite. Kasiya is the largest natural rutile deposit and one of the largest flake graphite deposits in the world. Both minerals are critical to several of the world’s economies as well as crucial to decarbonisation solutions required to meet net zero and other targets set by policymakers,” the company said.
“The demand for anodes grew by 46% in 2022 compared to only 14% growth in natural flake graphite supply.”
Currently, material from the planned mining pits is sourced from remaining samples from the 2022 Kasiya resource drill program. The samples will be blended to create a bulk sample for processing at the company’s Malawi facility.
Source: sovereignmetals.com.au