Important Foundation for Future Lending for Commercial Facilities
EcoGraf (ASX: EGR; FSE: FMK; OTCQB: ECGFF) has successfully commissioned the world’s first HFfree™ graphite purification plant (hydrofluoric acid-free) for the production of battery anode material for lithium-ion batteries. This week, the first continuous operation with unpurified spherical graphite concentrate was conducted. Now, 24-hour operation will follow.
For the first time, the company has also published images of the Product Qualification Facility (“PQF”) (see Figure 1). The facility was co-financed by public funding from the Commonwealth Government’s Critical Minerals Development Program, amounting to AUD 2.9 million.
Figure 1: View inside EcoGraf’s new factory hall near Perth
The successful completion of the PQF enables the validation of the EcoGraf HFfree™ purification process for commercial production as well as the provision of product samples for potential customers. Additionally, the operation provides an important foundation for future lending for commercial facilities at other locations in Europe, North America, and Asia. EcoGraf is working on site studies with potential lithium-ion battery manufacturers.
Recently, an independent benchmarking study for the EcoGraf HFfree™ purification process compared to alternative purification processes for the production of anode material for lithium-ion batteries was published. The study confirms the competitiveness of the HFfree™ process compared to other purification methods.
EcoGraf now intends to first replicate the results of previous cycle tests in its PQF, which achieved a purity of 99.99% carbon. The company has announced further updates for the near future.
