Lomiko announces excellent results from the La Loutre graphite half-cell coin battery testing with Polaris Battery Labs, LLC, USA, and suitability as Battery Anode Material.
Lomiko Metals Inc. (TSX.V: LMR) (“Lomiko Metals” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce it has successfully completed half-cell coin battery testing of its La Loutre graphite material with Polaris Battery Labs, LLC (“Polaris”). Polaris prepared La Loutre’s coated spherical purified graphite (cSPG) material from flotation concentrate samples and subjected it to half-cell coin testing to determine its basic material electrochemical performance metrics. The total mass of cSPG provided was approximately 160g and originated from coated purified samples generated by the Corem Innovation Centre in Quebec, Canada. These samples were micronized and spheronized by ProGraphite in Germany. The samples are deemed representative of the La Loutre deposit. Polaris will continue the test program in 2024.
Belinda Labatte, CEO and Interim Chair of the Board stated:
These initial results from half-cell battery testing (“the Polaris Study”) confirm excellent graphite properties as detailed below,
“thus providing conditions for Lomiko to progress into Phase 2 project activities to produce and test single-layer pouch cells; these are full cells using our graphite anode material tested against an industry relevant cathode material. The Polaris studies are another step we are taking as a part of an approach to assessing the suitability of our graphite anode materials in a full-cell format. As the Company grows in its journey as a partner and developer of choice in Quebec, it will further review the applications for its graphite in North America and the energy transition.”
Lomiko is completing the entire ‘rock-to-battery’ testing cycle as part of its Pre-Feasibility Study (“PFS”). The half-cell battery testing is now complete with exceptional results, and it is continuing with the graphite anode pouch cell construction and testing in Phase 2 with Polaris.
Concurrent with these studies, Lomiko is also working on the “NRC Study” announced on July 27, 2023, which aims to advance pre-feasibility level battery trials with its La Loutre natural flake graphite concentrate.”
Background and Summary of Lomiko Metallurgical Tests
The testing cycle started in the summer of 2022 with 640 kg of drill core provided from the existing core storage. These core samples originated from both the Battery and EV zones of the La Loutre deposit and are considered representative.
The first study (“The ProGraphite Characterization Study”) was performed on flotation concentrate that was produced at SGS Lakefield from the 640kg core samples. Various pre-feasibility (“PFS”) level metallurgical tests and a study were completed, including optimization of the flotation circuit, resulting in achieving 94.7% recovery and reconciled LCT (Locked Cycle Testing) testing grades at 99.1%Cg. For detailed results, please see the press release dated February 6, 2023. The work was directed by Metpro Management Inc.
In the second study, “The ProGraphite SPG Study”, testing was completed on a 10.5 kg bulk flotation sample prepared by SGS Canada Inc. ProGraphite, Germany, used this sample for micronization, spheroidization, and purification testing to produce spheroidized and purified graphite (SPG), which is the material required for the anode in Electric Vehicles (EVs). All physical characterization tests produced very good results, such as narrow particle size distribution range and high tap density and met the target values for Electric Vehicle and other lithium-ion based battery applications. Two purification methods were investigated on the La Loutre SPG, namely alkaline and acid purification. A total of 100 g of the SPG20 spherical graphite was subjected to intensive alkaline purification. For detailed results, please see the press release dated May 3, 2023.
The micronized and spheronized graphite was then purified and carbon coated by Corem to produce 160g each of coated spherical graphite cSPG16 & cSPG20 for the Polaris Study.
The Polaris Coin Cell Study
In “The Polaris Coin Cell Study”, cSPG batches were sent to Polaris in Oregon, USA, for battery testing, including half-cell coin and pouch battery testing. At this point, Lomiko is reporting only on the half-cell test results. Pictures of the half-cells made with Lomiko cSPG are pictured in Figure 1.
Highlights of this study:
Reversible delithiation capacity at C/10 of ~356 mAh/g and ~358mA/h respectively, which is above the commercial reference graphite material testing at an average 345mA/h. C-rating describes the current the battery will deliver over the specific period, with C/10 being 10 hours.
All half-cell coin batteries were constructed using a batch of 20g of cSPG casted on a Cu current collector and 304SS CR2032 coin cell can components.
Figure 2 and Figure 3 depict the charging (delithiation) performance of the cSPG20 and cSPG16 samples from La Loutre, respectively, at different charge rates. The plots reveal the good performance of the La Loutre SPG with superior charging capacity compared to commercial graphite in the market today in North America.
Both SPG16 and SPG20 outperform the commercial reference in achievable gravimetric capacity which means that with the electrochemical performance results produced by Polaris, Lomiko has now successfully demonstrated the full value chain from ore to battery anode material on samples from the La Loutre project.
Next Steps
In Phase 2, cathode and prepared anodes will be combined into a single-layer pouch cell format to undergo a basic testing regime with possible extended testing which will allow Lomiko to demonstrate technical specifications to meet battery manufacturing requirements.
Qualified Persons
Mr. Oliver Peters, a Principal Metallurgist with Metpro Management Inc., is a Qualified Person within the meaning of NI 43-101. Mr. Peters is satisfied that the analytical and testing procedures used are standard industry operating procedures and methodologies, and he has reviewed, approved and verified the technical information disclosed in this news release, including sampling, analytical and test data underlying the technical information.
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Lomiko announces excellent results from the La Loutre graphite half-cell coin battery testing with Polaris Battery Labs, LLC, USA, and suitability as Battery Anode Material. source
