It will be underpinned by the recently defined indicated resource of 12.3Mt grading 7.9% total graphitic content for 1Mt of contained graphite, which has the potential to capitalise on growing global demand for non-Chinese sources of graphite.
Kingsland Minerals (ASX:KNG) has appointed consultant GR Engineering Services to complete the scoping study, which will use current available technologies and suitability for use in Australia and will be based on the nominated throughput or graphite production rate.
Metallurgical testwork completed by Independent Metallurgical Operations of Perth will also be used in the study as well as open pit mine design and scheduling being completed by Auralia Mining Consulting of Perth.
The company has also appointed experienced metallurgist and corporate manager Michael Rodriguez – who has considerable experience in project management, project construction and commissioning of hydrometallurgical plants – as the project manager for the scoping study.
Managing director Richard Maddocks said the scoping study was a crucial step in the development of the Leliyn project and that the company was pleased to be working with GR Engineering, which had considerable global experience in delivering scoping and feasibility studies as well as designing and constructing processing facilities – including for graphite.
“Kingsland also welcomes Michael Rodriguez to the team as we commence the development of Leliyn. Michael has extensive experience in project design studies, implementation and construction,” he added.
“His appointment is an important milestone as Kingsland builds up internal expertise to develop Leliyn into a graphite mine.”
Leliyn is just 40km east from Pine Creek, a mining town with established power, gas, rail and road infrastructure, just two hours south of Darwin.
Following an update in early April 2025, inferred project resource now stand at 180.2Mt at 7.2% TGC, or 13Mt contained graphite, providing room to grow the current higher confidence indicated resource of 1Mt contained graphite.
This is likely to be a simple matter of carrying out further infill drilling as the company had enjoyed an extremely high conversion rate of 97% into indicated resources with its previous infill drilling.
An impressive exploration target of 700Mt to 1.1Bt with a grade range of 7-8% TGC provides further scope to grow the project.
A bulk sample of graphite concentrate is currently being tested by Germany’s ProGraphite GmbH for processing into purified spherical graphite suitable for use in lithium-ion batteries.
An offtake agreement is already in place with Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, which had provided a $2.56m investment at a significant premium in late October 2024, for all graphite concentrate produced by the project.
