- Saint Jean Carbon (SJL) has successfully tested its new proprietary air classifier design to separate graphitic flakes from metamorphic rocks
- One jumbo flake was approximately 1,500 microns in diameter
- The company expects larger flakes to produce higher cost premiums for graphite anode concentrates in lithium-ion batteries
- Saint Jean Carbon is engaged in the exploration of the mineral properties with two operating segments
- Shares in Saint Jean Carbon Inc. (SJL) are currently down 2.78 per cent, trading at $0.175 per share
Saint Jean Carbon (SJL) has successfully tested its new proprietary air classifier design to separate graphitic flakes from metamorphic rocks.
During this initial testing, the machine was able to separate graphite into flakes as large as +30 mesh or 595 microns in diameter.
One jumbo flake was approximately 1,500 microns in diameter and was separated in the third component of the air classifier.
Saint Jean Carbon intends to use the air classifier to produce the largest graphitic flakes possible, which the company expects would result in the highest cost premium for graphite anode concentrates that are used in the production of lithium-ion batteries.
Initial testing by a third-party laboratory indicates that once iron has been removed from the graphitic flakes by the air classifier, it can achieve graphite purity of over 90 per cent.
The company is planning additional air classifier trials to attempt to attain graphite concentrates with higher purity levels. Further efforts will be needed to confirm the process and machinery are capable of production scale-up.
V-Bond Lee, Chief Technology Officer of Saint Jean Carbon, commented,
“We are very excited that we were able to demonstrate that the air classifier is capable of producing statistically similar results to the engineering computer simulation.”
“The advantages of air classification are substantial in simplicity, costs and impact to the environment,” added Mr. Lee.
Saint Jean Carbon is engaged in the exploration of mineral properties with two operating segments: exploration and development and research and development.
Shares in Saint Jean Carbon Inc. (SJL) are currently down 2.78 per cent, trading at $0.175 per share as of 10:32 am ET.
