In line with recent reverse circulation (RC) drilling, diamond hole 1 returned a massive 132m at 8.7% from surface, including 94m at 10.8% from 31m.
Meanwhile, hole 2 hit 126m at 7.6% from 52m, including 53m at 11.1% from 117m.
These results confirm there are substantial tonnages of high-grade graphite mineralisation at Leliyn.
Earlier this month, the company consistently high more than 10% TGC with a standout intersection of 158m at 10.1% TGC from 16m, and 128m at 8.6% from 45m, including 86m at 10.9% from 87m.
“These results are important results because they continue to show Leliyn is emerging as a globally significant graphite discovery with very high grades,” KNG managing director Richard Maddocks says.
“They will also form part of the maiden resource estimate and the core will be used for more detailed metallurgical test-work.”
This testing is very important, as the process from the mine to battery is nothing short of complex.
First, graphite ore is processed into a flake concentrate, which is then shaped into a process called spheronisation’, where it has to be purified to 99.5 per cent.
Then these particles must be coated. Once coated, spherical purified graphite is called ‘active anode material’. Now it is ready for sale to a cell maker.
Small sections of core have been submitted for thin section petrographic analysis and these are expected to be released as they are received and assessed, Kingsland says.
The next step is to collect representative samples from the diamond drill core and submit these for flotation test-work.
These tests will establish the viability of the graphitic schist to produce a graphite concentrate of a quality that is amenable to further downstream purifying and processing with the targeted final product being purified spherical graphite for use as battery anode material in lithium-ion batteries.
