Australian company Battery Minerals has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chinese firm Qingdao Guangxing Electronic Materials (GEM) to execute offtake agreements.
Under the MoU, the companies will also develop an international product marketing strategy.
Battery Minerals is expected to supply GEM with graphite flake concentrate on commercial terms.
Battery Minerals executive chairman David Flanagan said: “The MoU with GEM is another significant step forward in our plans to produce and sell high-grade, high-quality graphite from our flagship Montepuez Graphite Project, which we expect to commission in December 2018.
“GEM is enhancing its existing spheronisation and expandable graphite capability, and both parties will work together to market the products to sell to the international market. Ongoing market development will include optimising the development of a spherical graphite for use as anode material in lithium-ion batteries as part of an international marketing strategy.”
The partnership aims to leverage GEM’s capability as a graphite downstream processing ability and Battery Minerals’ ability to supply graphite flake materials with market access.
Battery Minerals operates in Mozambique, through Montepuez and Balama graphite deposits.
The company is planning to begin the export of graphite flake concentrate from its Montepuez project at 45,000tpa to 50,000tpa rate in the next 15 months.
A value engineering study was completed recently on the project, while the company is planning to proceed with a definitive feasibility study (DFS) related to the Balama Central project.
Separately, Battery Minerals also signed an MoU with Japanese flake and spherical graphite producer MEIWA in order to determine the most amenable product marketing strategy.
The company noted that the agreement will ensure optimum value for its graphite products.