Listed company Mineral Commodities has signed a memorandum of understanding to assess the use of Doral's fused alumina plant in Kwinana for downstream processing of natural flake graphite from its proposed mine in WA's great southern region.
Under the agreement, Mineral Commodities will have exclusive access to the Kwinana site to undertake a study to determine the feasibility of using it for thermal purification, spheroidisation and coating of natural flake graphite to produce premium graphite anode material.
Graphite is used as the anode in the production of lithium-ion batteries, of which the source has primarily been through synthetic graphite.
In recent times, the industry has shifted towards a higher proportion of natural flake graphite due to cost efficiencies.
Doral’s alumina plant in Kwinana is part of an integrated fused zirconia and alumina facility, which has been identified as a potential site for further downstream graphite processing due to existing infrastructure, permitting and its connectivity to high voltage power.
Mineral Commodities executive chairman Mark Caruso said the company was excited to explore the potential opportunity of producing 99.95 per cent graphitic anode material in Western Australia.
“WA is already a significant global leading jurisdiction for all key minerals used in the production of lithium-ion batteries,” he said
“It is a natural progression to use existing production of lithium concentrates, lithium carbonate nickel, copper and cobalt and now graphite into complete downstream integrated value-adding.
“WA’s positioned to become a serious player in the EV batter and energy storage revolution and it is an opportunity which Mineral intends to capitalise on.”