Green Critical Minerals (ASX: GCM) is well ahead of schedule with the start-up of commissioning at the company’s VHD Technology pilot plant, located at its industrial facility in NSW.
The pilot plant was scheduled for commissioning in the June quarter 2025, with work completed by the team over the Christmas and New Year period significantly accelerating the project’s timeline.
The rototype VHD Graphite blocks now anticipated in January and first production expected in February 2025, well ahead of the scheduled CY25 timeframe.
Construction of Line 1 is now complete, marking the transition to the second phase of commissioning. This follows the successful completion of post-construction installation and operational checks in the Dry Commissioning phase.
“I am delighted to be able to announce that our VHD pilot plant has entered commissioning well ahead of schedule, significantly accelerating our project timeline,” Managing Director, Clinton Booth, said.
“This achievement represents a pivotal milestone in our mission to commercialise our VHD graphite technology, paving the way for transformative opportunities in the renewable energy and high-performance electronics sectors.
“The progress we’ve made is incredibly encouraging, and as we prepare to deliver our first product samples, we are excited to demonstrate their potential across industries such as high-performance electronics, aerospace, defence, and advanced manufacturing, where their unique properties can drive innovation and efficiency.
“With Wet Commissioning now underway, we look forward to updating the market in the coming weeks as we advance towards producing our first samples in early Q1 2025 and showcasing the full potential of our VHD graphite technology.”
Advancing Towards Commercialisation
The pilot plant is a critical component of GCM’s broader strategy to commercialise the VHD Technology and unlock its transformative potential
The commissioning process involves two phases, Dry Commissioning and Wet Commissioning. Dry Commissioning includes testing the individual components for correct installation and operation – this phase has been successfully completed for Line 1. GCM will now progress through the Wet Commissioning phase, systematically testing each of the production steps and culminating in the production of prototype VHD Technology graphite blocks. With the accelerated progress to date GCM now expects the commissioning phase to be completed in January 2025.
