Column: Electric dreams turn into a nightmare for battery metals
A sector that was once racing to build new supply has been closing mines and deferring projects as low prices bite into the cost curve.
The US Government’s Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Committee designated Graphite One’s (TSX-V: GPH) Graphite Creek project as a high-priority infrastructure project (HPIP), following a nomination by Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy.
In its decision, the FPISC states that it has determined that the project qualifies as an HPIP under the ‘manufacturing’ and ‘renewable energy’’ sectors.
The Graphite Creek project is considered the highest grade and largest known, large flake graphite deposit in the US
The designation means that Graphite One can elect to list on the Federal Permitting Dashboard, which ensures that federal permitting agencies coordinate their project review authorities, resulting in a more efficient process than the one pursued under regular channels.
The Graphite Creek project is considered the highest grade and largest known, large flake graphite deposit in the US.
The property is located on the Seward Peninsula in western Alaska, along the north flank of the Kigluaik Mountains, about 55 kilometres north of the City of Nome.
Based on exploration drilling and test work completed until 2017, the project’s preliminary economic assessment (PEA) estimated that 44 million tonnes of graphite mineralization at 7% Cg would be available to be mined and, when processed in the processing plant at a recovery rate of 80% Cg, would support a project life of 40 years producing 60,000 tonnes per year of graphite concentrate at 95% Cg.
The PEA also estimated that once full production is reached in year six, the manufacturing plant should be able to convert 60,000 tonnes per year of concentrate into 41,850 tonnes per year of CSG and 13,500 tonnes per year of purified graphite powders.
