Graphite explorer Battery Minerals signs marketing MoU with Chinese group

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed Battery Minerals, which is developing the Montepuez and Balama graphite projects in Mozambique, on Tuesday announced that it had agreed to study the potential of developing a product marketing strategy with China’s Qingdao Guangxing Electronic Materials (GEM).

In terms of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), the companies would cooperate on developing and executing a product marketing strategy in which Battery Minerals would supply GEM with graphite flake concentrate from the Montepuez project.

“GEM is enhancing its existing spheronisation and expandable graphite capability, and both parties will work together to market the products to sell to the international market. Ongoing market development will include optimising development of spherical graphite for use as anode material in lithium-ion batteries as part of an international marketing strategy,” Battery Minerals chairperson David Flanagan said in a statement.

Battery Minerals intends to commission its Montepuez project in December 2018, producing 45 000 t/y to 50 000 t/y of graphite flake concentrate. The company is aiming to step up production to more than 100 000 t/y by 2022.

Balama Central is Battery Minerals’ second graphite project, where a definitive feasibility study is currently under way and scheduled for completion in mid-2018.