Australian mining firm Mineral Commodities has declared a maiden mineral resource at its Skaland graphite project in Norway, advancing its plans to become Europe's first vertically integrated producer of natural graphite anode material.
An indicated and inferred mineral resource of 1.78mn t grading 22pc total graphitic carbon at the underground Traelen mine on the Norwegian island of Senja is the highest grade resource for any operating graphite mine, the company said, containing around 397,000t of graphite.
Mineral Commodities acquired Skaland Graphite in October last year to complement its existing graphite concentrate business and grow its status as a supplier to electric vehicle and energy storage battery manufacturers.
Drilling is expected to resume in April-June to further upgrade the mineral resource and define a measured resource as well as a maiden ore reserve.
Mineral Commodities is also developing the Munglinup graphite project in Western Australia and operates the Tormin zircon, rutile and ilmenite mine in South Africa's Western Cape province.
