International Graphite advances mine-to-market strategy with strong December quarter
International Graphite (ASX: IG6) remains on target to commercialise its global mine-to-market graphite strategy after a highly successful December 2024 quarter.
The company wholly owns the Springdale graphite project in the Hopetoun-Ravensthorpe region of Western Australia and has established the Collie graphite processing and research-development facility 200 kilometres south of Perth.
It plans to establish comprehensive downstream graphite processing at Collie, including the manufacture of battery anode materials (BAM).
Government funding
International Graphite’s development of the Collie plant and world-class Springdale mine continued to attract WA government backing during the quarter.
This included the signing of a $4.5 million agreement securing construction funding for what will be Australia’s first commercial graphite micronising plant at Collie.
Subsequent to the quarter, the company was also awarded an additional $4m to fast-track integration between Springdale and Collie, including support for trial mining at Springdale.
The state government also signed off on a $2m grant this week under its financial assistance agreement to back BAM feasibility work at Collie.
Collie FEED studies
That funding support comes as International Graphite finalises its Collie micronising facility front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies.
The company also made progress on studies of Springdale ore, with the latest anode test work providing positive evidence of the mine’s concentrates for battery material.
The Collie facility includes a pilot-scale graphite micronising and spheroidising plant and a customer qualification-scale micronising plant.
The company has established the funding to commence construction of a commercial-scale micronising facility at the site in 2025.
Springdale progressing
While Collie remains the major focus, International Graphite has also been successful in firming up its Springdale development.
The company was granted two mining leases at Springdale covering 100% of the existing mineral resource, while new drilling at the Springdale Central deposit highlighted more high-grade, continuous graphite mineralisation.
The Springdale project is rated the second-largest graphite deposit in Australia and one of the top 15 in the world, with an estimated 49.3 million tonnes @ 6.5% total graphitic content.