Renascor Resources achieves lithium-ion anode material from Siviour spherical graphite

Testing of Renascor Resources‘ (ASX: RNU) Siviour spherical graphite product has successfully produced lithium-ion battery anode material that meets all key performance criteria.

Initial battery anode tests were carried out on Renascor’s spherical graphite from its Siviour graphite project in South Australia.

According to Renascor, a European graphite specialist oversaw the anode testing program, which used the company’s 99.99% pure spherical graphite material.

This material was used to create an anode slurry comprising 94% Siviour spherical graphite and 6% binder.

The anode was then incorporated into a lithium-ion battery and tests were carried out to measure how the anode functioned.

Results revealed Siviour anode material complied or exceeded key criteria including retaining normal formation during charging and discharging. Test work also showed Siviour spherical graphite could be charged to “very high” capacities.

Additionally, the anode material was found to possess “very high” durability.

“Spherical graphite produced from Siviour continues to meet or exceed industry standards, suggesting Siviour graphite will be a highly-sought after product by battery anode manufactures,” Renascor managing director David Christensen said.

Mr Christensen added the company was already in discussions with potential offtake partners.

“We believe our ability to produce high-quality graphite products from Siviour, as demonstrated by the results announced today, at globally competitive prices, will offer an important comparative advantage for Siviour as we seek to advance offtake discussions with potential partners and move Siviour closer to production,” he said.

Siviour graphite project

Siviour covers 1,370 square kilometres and is close to requisite infrastructure including ports, road, rail, town and power.

A pre-feasibility study was published in mid-March indicating a 30-year mine life with two production scenarios and a maiden reserve of 45.2 million tonnes grading 7.9% total graphitic carbon for 3.6mt of contained graphite.

Under the feasibility study, an immediate large-scale production scenario could extract 117,000tpa of graphite concentrate. The other two-staged development scenario estimated 22,800tpa for the first three years then moving to an average 129,000tpa across the life of mine.

Shares in Renascor were unchanged at A$0.031 in afternoon trade.