ONTARIO – Ottawa-based Northern Graphite Corp. has developed a process of purifying graphite concentrate economically and consistently to 99.95%+ C in independent laboratory and bench scales tests. Concentrate for the tests came from its Bissett Creek graphite project 100 km east of North Bay.
Northern Graphite has been working for the past two years with research laboratories and testing facilities in Canada and the United states, and equipment manufacturers in the US and Japan, to develop an alternative to the wet chemical purification process used in China and the thermal process commonly used elsewhere.
Both alternatives have significant downsides. The wet chemical process uses hydrofluoric and hydrochloric acid and is only low cost if the waste products are not neutralized. It can create a huge environmental issue in terms of soil and water pollution. The thermal purification process is expensive due to the capital and operating costs of furnaces needed to achieve temperatures of 2,400°C or higher.
Northern Graphite owns 100% of the Bissett Creek deposit and would develop it in three phases, according to the feasibility report. At a cut off of 1.5% Cg (carbon graphite) the deposit contains 20.0 million indicated tonnes grading 1.99% Cg and 33.7 million inferred tonnes grading 1.71% Cg. Total contained graphite in both categories total 933,600 tonnes. An open pit and concentrator utilizing grinding, flotation and screening is planned.
The feasibility study is available at NorthernGraphite.com.
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