International Graphite is fast-tracking the development of its new micronising facility in Collie following the release of the front end engineering and design (FEED) study in March.
The study estimated the capital cost to be $6.3 million for an initial 4000-tonne-per-annum facility, with the potential to double capacity for an additional $1.7 million.
The facility supports customer testing and product validation through a qualification-scale micronising plant and to date, 1216kg of graphite concentrate have been processed at Collie.
The site has produced micronised and spheroidised graphite across size fractions ranging from 15 to 45 microns (D90), with commercial sales already achieved.
The project is backed by a $4.5 million grant from the Western Australian Government, which will be drawn down progressively as construction milestones are met.
Bunbury-based construction firm Prosser Built has been selected to finalise the detailed design and is expected to commence construction once approvals are secured.
A supply contract and purchase order have been executed for the manufacture of the micronising equipment, with the first step being the delivery of detailed engineering drawings to the local design team.
More than 50 local businesses have contributed to the project to date, highlighting the company’s commitment to regional job creation and supporting Collie’s economic transition.
While the new facility progresses, International Graphite continues to batch operate its nearby Collie graphite processing and research and development facility.
When the FEED study was released, International Graphite managing director and chief executive officer Andrew Worland said the economics for the Collie micronising facility were strong.
“(The) successful implementation and progressive expansion option would rank International Graphite as an international force in the industrial graphite market,” he said.
“We believe the key to advancing graphite projects is through the control of value-adding industrial and battery anode downstream processing facilities.”
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