Itabela Project Produces High Value Expandable Graphite
Brisbane, Sep 28, 2015 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Sayona Mining Limited (
ASX:SYA) is pleased to announce the results of test work, demonstrating that Itabela flake graphite is suitable for the production of a high-quality expandable graphite.
Expanded graphite has unique physical and thermal properties, and can be converted into high-value products that attract premium pricing. In addition, compared to the production of other speciality graphite products, expandable graphite has little wastage in the production process.
Test work was independently conducted by one of the world largest European carbon and graphite users. Itabela's +50# mesh, 98% carbon content concentrate yielded an expansion volume of 531 cm3/g, demonstrating high quality specifications against industry standards. Testing for volatile matter, leachable chloride and fluoride, moisture and ash content was also performed, yielding favourable results.
The market growth for expanded graphite is expected to be strong, with its electrical and thermal conductive properties suitable for use in fire retardants, foundry materials, graphite foils and batteries.
The high quality and diverse characteristics of Itabela's graphite provides the Company with a significant competitive advantage, due to the graphite's potential use in a wide variety of applications, including the high-value segments.
The Company will also use some of the one tonne of high quality processed concentrate from the pilot plant to continue testing Itabela graphite with potential customers. The Company will also examine other potential downstream markets, including Micronised and Spherical graphite markets.
About Sayona Mining Limited
Sayona Mining Limited (ASX:SYA) (OTCMKTS:SYAXF) is a North American lithium producer with projects in Quebec, Canada and Western Australia. In Quebec, Sayona's assets comprise North American Lithium together with the Authier Lithium Project and its emerging Tansim Lithium Project, supported by a strategic partnership with American lithium developer Piedmont Lithium Inc. (ASX:PLL). Sayona also holds a 60% stake in the Moblan Lithium Project in northern Quebec.
In Western Australia, the Company holds a large tenement portfolio in the Pilbara region
prospective for gold and lithium. Sayona is exploring for Hemi-style gold targets in the world-class Pilbara region, while its lithium projects include Company-owned leases and those subject to a joint venture with Morella Corporation (ASX:1MC).
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