International Graphite’s downstream research and development facility at Collie, Western Australia, is currently installing a new qualification-scale micronising plant.

Micronised graphite is the first step in the production of battery anode materials and a by-product of the spheroidising process.

It can be sold as a conductive additive to battery cathodes or used in a range of industrial applications.

Product from the plant will be used to launch the International Graphite brand into global markets and refine the case for commercial micronising.

It will also help develop graphite marketing and product handling experience vital for the company’s battery anode materials operation.

Commissioning of the new plant is scheduled for next month.

Another milestone

Managing director Andrew Worland said the plant was another milestone in the company’s plans to produce domestic battery anode material for the growing lithium-ion market using product from its Springdale graphite project in the state’s southwest.

“We have made enormous progress in the past 18 months advancing Springdale and establishing our initial processing base in the town of Collie,” Mr Worland said.

“This new plant can be tailored to shape micronised graphite to produce a spheroidised graphite… it will also be used to undertake testwork on graphite concentrates from Springdale and to support our battery anode materials feasibility studies.”

Significant advancement

The custom-built “qualification-scale” micronising plant is considered to be a significant advancement on International Graphite’s pilot processing plant commissioned last September.

It is designed to process graphite concentrates to generate a commercial micronised product for quality and performance evaluation by potential customers.

It can output up to 200 tonnes per annum of micronised graphite and will also be used to develop graphite operating and materials handling expertise within the company.

Scoping study

In April, International Graphite released a scoping study for a proposed graphite battery anode material facility at Collie with a capacity of up to 40,000tpa.

Initially, the plant would produce an uncoated spheroidised purified graphite (USPG) product.

Once coating facilities have been added, it would be capable of also producing CSPG (coated spheroidised purified graphite) material.