Last week, IMO’s metallurgical consulting team had the privilege of visiting International Graphite’s advanced Downstream Processing facilities in Collie, WA. Situated in the heart of a former coal-hub, International Graphite is setting the stage for an exciting future endeavour: the establishment of a local battery anode plant.
Exciting developments to look forward to include:
– The Collie Commercial micronizing plant slated to commence operations in 2025.
– The Collie Graphite downstream processing plant, featuring micronizing, spheroidizing, and purification capabilities.
Australia currently imports all of its micronized graphite. These refined materials are vital components in a wide array of applications, spanning from graphite powders used in lubricants to essential elements in brake pad manufacturing and even additives for wine production. The demand for locally sourced materials is strong and only set to increase.
During our visit, we were given an in-depth tour of International Graphite’s R&D centre for graphite processing. The state-of-the-art facility showcased pilot-scale micronizing and spheroidizing equipment, alongside cutting-edge qualification scale micronizing equipment with a planned capacity increase from 200tpa to 4,000 tpa within just one year.
Key steps in the downstream processing journey for graphite, include:
1) Micronizing process: Precision reduction of flake size from approximately 150 microns to 10-45 microns, tailored for battery anode material.
2) Spheroidizing process: Shaping micronized graphite for enhanced handling during purification and coating processes.
3) Purification process: Elevating graphite concentrate purity from 95% to an exceptional 99.95%, resulting in a saleable intermediate product of battery-grade quality.
4) Coating: A critical step in preparing materials for battery anode production.
Notably, International Graphite’s mine project development is synchronously progressing with their downstream processing advancements. The main source of feedstock for the Collie processing facility is slated to originate from IG6’s Springdale Graphite Project near Ravensthorpe/Hopetoun. To bridge the gap until the Springdale project’s full operation in 2026, International Graphite is leveraging third-party concentrates to hone their processing expertise, build a strong customer base, and refine their downstream capabilities.
A heartfelt thank you to Josh Hearse and the entire team at International Graphite for offering us an insightful tour of your exceptional facilities.