Alabama Graphite obtains 99.99% Cg purity from Coosa

Sep 29, 2015

ALABAMA GRAPHITE CORP. ACHIEVES PURITY OF 99.99% GRAPHITIC CARBON-ACROSS ALL FLAKE SIZES-FROM PRELIMINARY PURIFICATION TRIALS

Purities of 99.99 per cent graphitic carbon (Cg) have been obtained from preliminary studies testing the purification of the graphite concentrates from Alabama Graphite Corp.’s (AGC) flagship, 100-per-cent-owned Coosa graphite project, located in Coosa county, east-central Alabama, United States.

Graphite concentrates of 99.99 per cent Cg purity were achieved using a conventional low-temperature thermal purification process at one of North America’s premier metallurgical laboratories (for reasons of commercial confidentiality, Alabama Graphite is not disclosing the identity of the metallurgical laboratory contracted for the company’s continuing graphite purification work). The purification trials were conducted on graphite concentrates produced by SGS Mineral Services of Lakefield, Ont. The trials were based on a total product mix and were carried out across the total flake-size distribution (including, large-, medium- and fine-flake size fractions), in order to achieve a full-spectrum sampling of the Coosa graphite project’s graphitic material and its demonstrated purity.

Donald Baxter, PEng, co-chief executive officer of Alabama Graphite, commented: “Today marks another major milestone for AGC. The achievement of 99.99 per cent Cg from the initial run of purification testing — without any optimization — only reaffirms our belief in the exceptional quality of the graphite material hosted on our Coosa property. These high-purity levels are required for graphite used in many high-value applications, namely lithium-ion batteries for use in electric vehicles and grid storage/stationary batteries, but also in portable electronic applications, which represent a significant and growing market with enduring future demand.

“AGC will now move forward with larger scale testing designed to optimize the purification process and further improve these excellent results. We have now begun sizing (micronization), shaping (spheronization) and carbon coating of our Coosa graphite material — known as coated spherical natural graphite or CSPG (see the company’s June 25, 2015, announcement) — to meet the requirements for use in Li-ion batteries, specifically for electric vehicles. ”

As announced on Sept. 15, 2015, construction of the company’s Coosa graphite project pilot plant is currently under way, with mechanical commissioning planned for Sept. 30, 2015. AGC’s pilot plant was designed, built, and will be operated by SGS and managed by graphite-industry veteran metallurgist Oliver Peters, MSc, PEng, MBA (consulting metallurgist for SGS and principal metallurgist of Metpro Management Inc.). The Coosa graphite project’s pilot plant will provide several tons of graphite concentrate from a process more representative of the quality that would be expected from a significantly larger scale, optimized process and, additionally, will feed the company’s specialty CSPG graphite process initiatives. This will allow Alabama Graphite to provide larger sized samples to meet current numerous requests from end-users for testing purposes.

Alabama Graphite remains on schedule to publish the preliminary economic assessment (PEA) in fourth quarter 2015 (see July 27, 2015, announcement) incorporating the company’s drill results from 2012 to summer 2015, and the forthcoming updated NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate.

Qualified person

Donald K.D. Baxter, PEng, co-chief executive officer and executive director, is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 guidelines, and has reviewed and approved the technical content of this press release.

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