Australia’s biggest graphite project on track to be a multi-generational mine

With a 194.6Mt at 7.3 per cent TGC for 14.2Mt inferred resource, Kingsland Minerals’ (ASX:KNG) Leliyn project in the Northern Territory is Australia’s largest graphite deposit, and one of the biggest in the world.

Kingsland listed on the ASX in 2022 targeting uranium and gold in the NT.

Graphite mineralisation was discovered while exploring for uranium, and some historical work by previous explorers also indicated the presence of high-grade graphite.

The decision to shift attention to the area’s graphite endowment now looks like a stroke of genius, with a 20km-long graphite schist having formed three separate mineralised zones based on a minimal 3 per cent TGC cut-off.

Metallurgical test work on samples from the Leliyn project has now produced graphite concentrate grades greater than 94 per cent TGC.

A fine flake bulk concentrate product will be produced to undergo additional test-work to assess downstream processing options.

These results confirm that fine flake concentrate of a marketable grade can be produced, meaning Leliyn is very well placed to be a future supplier of graphite products to Asian markets and beyond.

“Given these strong results we will now focus on two linked outcomes. The first is to produce cost efficient fine flake concentrate and transport this to Darwin, only 250km away by road or rail,” KNG managing director Richard Maddocks says.

“The second is to secure markets for processed and raw fine-flake graphite products and establishing a downstream processing facility in Darwin.

“Leliyn is Australia’s largest graphite deposit and, with metallurgical results producing a +94 per cent TGC concentrate, it is well placed to play an important role in the supply of raw and processed graphite products.”

KNG is de-risking the Leliyn ahead of committing to a feasibility study and believes the work to date has largely done this.

Future activities include additional metallurgical test-work to assess the viability of production of spherical graphite from Leliyn graphite concentrates and the production of other graphite products.

The receipt of these results will provide confidence to progress to further, more detailed studies for the development and production of graphite products. An updated Exploration Target, outside the current inferred resource, is due in June 2024.