Lithium Energy (ASX:LEL) is advancing plans to build an SPG Pilot Manufacturing Plant in Queensland.
The $60.26 million market capitalisation company says the SPG Pilot Plant will provide marketing samples for potential offtake customers of Burke Graphite and training for future operating staff for the planned full scale commercial battery anode manufacturing facility proposed to be located in Townsville.
The company reports it will move forward with plans for the plant after today (11 March 2024) posting after posting ‘excellent’ battery electrochemical testwork results from spherical purified graphite (SPG) produced at its Burke Graphite Project in Queensland.
the results provide further validation of the ‘exceptional’ quality of the Burke graphite as a highly valued battery anode material (BAM) for use in lithium-ion batteries.
Results also demonstrate a high specific charge capacity of 362 to 364mAh/g, which is close to the theoretical maximum specific charge capacity of natural graphite of 372mAh/g, as well as ‘very high’ coulometric efficiencies of 99.3% to 99.8% over multiple charging discharging cycles of a battery test.
Executive Chairman Willian Johnson says: “These outstanding electrochemical battery testing results are the final piece of the ‘BAM puzzle’ that confirms Burke Graphite as an exceptional material for use in lithium-ion batteries.
The company will now focus on optimising the BAM development pathway and implementing a process to produce marketable quantities of SPG that will be used to secure offtake agreements.
We are now entering a very exciting phase of the development of our vertically integrated Australian-based BAM business.”
The spheronising and purification testwork program was completed by German-based ProGraphite GmbH.
Lithium Energy is a battery minerals company which is developing its flagship Solaroz Lithium Brine Project in Argentina and the Burke and Corella Graphite projects in Queensland, Australia.
Write to Adam Drought at Mining.com.au
Images: Lithium Energy
