Kingsland’s (ASX:KNG) Leliyn project hosts a 20km outcropping graphitic schist with a conceptual Exploration Target of between 200Mt and 250Mt grading 8% to 11% TGC.
Recent bonanza intersections topping 206m grading 10% graphite have proved the “world class” scale and grade potential and the company is now looking to convert a portion of that target into resources.
To feed the burgeoning electric vehicle sector graphite flakes undergo a micronizing process before being further processed into spherical graphite for use in lithium-ion batteries.
Flake sizes of less than 150 micron (100 mesh) are preferred as larger flakes require a greater size reduction which incurs a higher cost.
At this early stage, KNG reckons Leliyn looks to have flake sizes that are favourable for battery anode material.
The petrography analysis was conducted on first two diamond drill hole intercepts: 132m @ 8.7 % TGC from 0m (LEDD_01), including 94m @ 10.8% TGC from 31m and 126m @ 7.6% TGC from 52m (LEDD_02), including 53m @ 11.1% TGC from 117m.
Small samples of core were collected at around 7-8m intervals down the core holes for petrographic analysis, which involves making a thin section of the core to allow light to pass through the rock.
Polarised light can then be used to identify different mineral species based on the different characteristics of light passing through the slide and the size of individual graphite flakes can also be measured.
KNG says the important conclusion from this analysis is that flake graphite is widespread throughout the drillholes and indicates that Leliyn can be a source of flake graphite.
“These outstanding initial test work results are a major milestone in de-risking the project’s pathway to development,” KNG MD Richard Maddocks says.
“We are now rapidly progressing the maiden Mineral Resource Estimate at Leliyn where mineralisation has been defined over a 5km strike within a 20km long graphitic schist.
“In parallel, we plan to progress metallurgical flotation test-work.”
Next steps involve collecting representative samples from the diamond drill core and submitting these for flotation test-work.
The first metallurgical samples are expected to be submitted during September with results taking two to three months.
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.
