DGAP-News

Kibaran Resources Limited: Metallurgical tests yield Ultra-high purity + 99.9% C (news with additional features) - Seite 2

ability to easily and inexpensively produce ultra-high purity flake
graphite of 99.9% from Epanko concentrate means Kibaran is now very well
positioned to tap into a multitude of markets and command a premium price.
These markets include Expandable, Micronised and Spherical graphite
markets.

One focus of the Company is the market for lithium ion batteries, which
include both expanded and spherical graphite in its composition. Demand for
these types of batteries is being driven by the surging use of portable
consumer electronics such as smartphones, and hybrid and electric vehicles.
This market is forecast to grow to US$34.3 billion in 2020 . The test
results indicate that the high purity flake graphite produced from Epanko
concentrates is suitable for the production of spherical graphite for
Li-Ion-batteries.

Table 2 - Impurities levels after chemical purification

              FLAKE SIZE               MOISTURE    VOLATILE     ASH

                                                   MATTER       CONTENT

Name           Micron          Mesh    (%)         (%)          (%)

Extra Jumbo    >500 micron     >35     0.05        0.21         0.06

Jumbo          >300 microns    >48     0.05        0.27         0.02

Large          >180 microns    >80     0.03        0.51         0.05

Medium         >106 microns    >150    < 0.01       0.77         0.09

Small          >75 microns     >200    < 0.01       0.81         0.15

Fine           < 75 microns     < 200    0.02        0.93         0.28

 

Micron (µm) and Millimetre (mm). 1mm = 1000µm and carbon content
determined by loss of ignition method (LOI)

The testwork was based on the 14kg of flake graphite from Epanko as
reported in announcement dated 5 June 2013, which demonstrated a
significant portion of extra jumbo, jumbo and large flake distribution
within the deposit (refer table 3).

The purpose of the test was to evaluate the ability to achieve 99.9% C
concentrate after simple flotation. A 5g sample from the flotation
concentrate was obtained for each size fraction; this material was heated
to 400oC.

Table 3 - Graphite flake size distribution.

                           FLAKE SIZE                        EPANKO FLAKE

                                                             DISTRIBUTION

Name                   Micron                  Mesh          (% Retained)

Extra Jumbo            >500 micron             >35           8.4

Jumbo                  >300 microns            >48           13.2

Large                  >180 microns            >80           28.6