Mineral Commodities Limited (ASX: MRC) is set to move to 90% ownership of the Munglinup Graphite Project in the south of Western Australia following the successful completion of a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) based on a concentrate only production scenario.
Executive Chairman Mark Caruso said the DFS confirms the company’s view that Munglinup will become a crucial asset in its overall ambition to supply natural graphite into the key high-demand battery anode markets.
This is an important milestone in the anticipated development of the Munglinup Graphite Project which continues to deliver robust project economics as a standalone graphite concentrate producer,” Mr Caruso said.
“The DFS further enhances the Company’s ambitions to build a global, vertically integrated carbon business based on two global strategic operating production centres in Tier 1 jurisdictions, Australia and Norway, producing sustainable natural graphite concentrate as a crucial raw material for the production of precursor and active anode materials.”
Highlights of the DFS results included:
The completion of the DFS has led to MRC’s wholly-owned subsidiary MRC Graphite Pty Ltd (MRCG), providing Gold Terrace Pty Ltd (GT) with an Earn-in Notice to increase its interest in Munglinup to 90% in accordance with Farmin and Joint Venture Agreements.
Having completed the DFS, MRC has received board approval and intends to increase its ownership in Munglinup from 51% to 90% by:
MRCG and GT will then consider and formulate the development strategy and programme for Munglinup.
Next Steps
Mr Caruso said the company will implement a vertically integrated development strategy that will provide a broader range of higher value products, which diversifies the risks associated with supplying the traditional natural flake graphite market.
“The company will continue ongoing test work and comprehensive market analysis as part of a determined integrated downstream value-adding strategy focused on the production of precursor and active anode materials for consumption in the growing lithium-ion battery sector.
“The Company will continue technical and economic study work, considering the production of purified, micronised, spheronised and coated Munglinup Concentrate to identify the optimal economic outcome from the deposit,” Mr Caruso said.
The DFS was completed with the support of Mondium (a joint venture between Lycopodium and Monadelphous) and Battery Limits. Mondium have signed off a +15/-5% level of accuracy for the capital estimate and operating costs estimate.