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over other methods which use hydrofluoric with major EV and energy storage battery time around, especially with EV1’s major
acid. manufacturers. We can see an end-to-end shareholder ARCH Sustainable Resources
“Thermal purification is just heating the supply chain developing here from what Fund providing plenty of confidence in the
graphite up, so subject to the renewability we’re hoping will be net-zero carbon con- availability of equity funding and the ESG
of the power source, it’s an incredibly envi- centrate coming out of Tanzania into this credentials of the company.
ronmentally-friendly methodology,” he said. renewably-powered and thermally purified EV1 has appointed Auramet International
“The results of the overall programme anode material, which in our opinion would to lead the debt side of the project financing
have been genuinely world-class. For ex- be the most sustainable anode supply exercise, which could be quickly wrapped
ample, the yields into useable spherical chain on the planet.” up following completion of the updated
graphite, which are typically around 40%, Hoskins also sees upside in EV1 being DFS.
were 64% for our product…so it genuinely the only company with a downstream strat- “We had a private equity group on the
fits into the category of ‘super-premium’ egy for coarse flake graphite. Offtake part- debt side a few years ago and now we’ve
coated battery anode material that would ner YXGC is pioneering the use of graphite got private equity on the equity side, and
command a premium price. foil in green hydrogen batteries and Chila- supportive private equity that have addi-
“We’ve got enough data now out of this lo’s coarse flake graphite (comprising +100, tional capital to deploy for this project and
programme to commence qualifications +80, +50 and +32 mesh) provides ideal to follow their money, so that’s a very strong
feedstock for these value-added products. position to be in,” Hoskins said.
“We’ve been dealing with YXGC since “ARCH also have co-investment rights in
Phil Hoskins 2015, and historically, we had a toll treat- their investment deed, so if investors in their
ment arrangement in place,” Hoskins said. fund like the story, they have the opportu-
“That opportunity still exists for us but nity to invest alongside them. We expect
YXGC have gone one step further and pro- them to be able to bring to bear additional
pose that we jointly develop a manufactur- support in that regard and also in the debt
ing facility in Europe together, using their financing process.
technology and IP. “We’ve gone through a process of un-
“There’s no other graphite company I’m derstanding who’s interested in participat-
aware of that has a downstream value-add- ing in that financing and we’re now working
ed strategy for their coarse flake graphite. through the Tanzanian graphite market due
Everyone’s quite rightly focused on battery diligence ahead of the technical due dili-
anodes, but for us, this is a real differentia- gence at the end of the DFS. There’s plenty
tor to be partnering with the global leader of options available, which is pleasantly sur-
for these products.” prising.”
Hoskins expects the impending project fi-
nancing for Chilalo to be vastly different this – Michael Washbourne

Orion Minerals is developing
fully integrated mines from exploration
to market, in South Africa’s Northern
Cape Province.

Key Projects Exploration
FLAGSHIP PRIESKA COPPER ZINC MINE (PCZM) Mining
OKIEP COPPER PROJECT Battery precursor production
JACOMYNSPAN NICKEL-COPPER-COBALT PGE PROJECT
DEVELOPING SPECIALIST REFINING FACILITY WITH Exemplary ESG Standards Renewable energy
STRATEGA METALS

Fast-tracking opportunities

Gauteng
North-West
Free State
SOUTH AFRICA KwaZulu-Natal
Northern Cape LESOTHO
Hotazel
Eastern Cape
Western CapeCa Sishen
Upington
Kimberley
Okiep Kenhardt
PCZM
NORTHERN CAPE De Aar
Calvinia Victoria West
Sutherland

ASX: ORN | JSE: ORN 29 Cu 30 Zn Ni Co PGE Au Ag
79
27
28
47
www.orionminerals.com.au Copper Zinc Nickel Cobalt PGE Gold Silver
aUSTRaLIa’S PaYDIRT aUgUST 2022 Page 77