Lincoln Minerals’ (ASX:LML) flagship Kookaburra Graphite Project in South Australia has a “genuine opportunity” to be one of the circa 30 new natural graphite mines the world needs by 2030.
Demand for graphite is surging with Benchmark Mineral Intelligence predicting natural graphite demand will increase 140% by 2030, meaning 30 new natural graphite mines and 12 new synthetic graphite plants will need to come online globally to fill the void, as previously reported.
Lincoln Minerals CEO Jonathon Trewartha says the company is in a strong position to cater to this demand as it continues progressing KGP through a Battery Anode Material (BAM) Scoping Study. Kookaburra is situated 35km north of Port Lincoln on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula.
At the same time, Lincoln Minerals is seeking to secure a cornerstone investor and/or offtake partner to support both mine development and downstream processing opportunities. This includes assessing opportunities around purification and shaping technologies to produce coated spherical graphite for lithium-ion battery anodes.
“With the project included in the Australian Critical Minerals Prospectus, Lincoln is actively engaging with potential funding partners, offtakers, and end users particularly in jurisdictions seeking secure graphite supply outside China,” Trewartha tells Mining.com.au.
Kookaburra taking flight
Lincoln is pursuing a staged development model for the Kookaburra Graphite Project. Firstly, it is advancing BAM downstream scoping work to validate processing flowsheets and value-add potential, supporting future funding and offtake negotiations.
The company will then finalise an updated Feasibility Study for stage one by FY27, incorporating updated costs, logistics, mine plan, and metallurgy.
Securing any remaining regulatory approvals will follow, as will progressing front-end engineering, aiming for a final investment decision thereafter.
“This approach reduces capital risk, improves flexibility, and aligns Lincoln with customer expectations for sustainable and traceable supply,” the CEO adds.
As Trewartha reiterates to Mining.com.au, there is a genuine opportunity for KGP to be one of the aforementioned 30 new natural graphite mines needed to come online in the next five years.
Making the case, the CEO notes KGP has measured, indicated, and inferred resources of 12.8 million tonnes at 7.6% total graphitic carbon (TGC), “putting it among the highest-grade graphite projects in Australia” with a demonstrated capability to reach battery-grade purity (≥99.95% TGC).
Multiple test runs related to the BAM Scoping Study at two independent laboratories in Australia achieved purity levels of 99.97% TGC – above the 99.95% industry benchmark for battery grade anode material.
“Inclusion in the Australian Critical Minerals Prospectus, is reinforcing its national strategic value in a location in a mining-friendly region with access to port, power, and workforce,” Trewartha continues.
The next phase of test work involves fresh concentrate trench samples obtained from the Kookaburra Graphite Project. These will be used to further optimise the key process steps – purification, micronisation, and spheronisation – required to produce high-quality, anode-grade Purified Spheronised Graphite (PSG) that meets the stringent specifications of global lithium-ion battery manufacturers.
Natural graphite production is projected to grow 6% a year to reach 1.5 million tonnes by 2027, as ex-China mine production comes online.The International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts the global graphite market to grow from US$8.32 billion in 2025 to US$13.35 billion ($20.39 billion) by 2032.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: Lincoln & IMO
