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Northern Graphite: Metallurgical Testing Confirms Process Plant Cost Savings
Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 23, 2020) - Northern Graphite Corporation (TSXV: NGC)...
About this update from Northern Graphite Corporation
[{"type":"text","content":"Northern Graphite: Metallurgical Testing Confirms Process Plant Cost SavingsOttawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 23, 2020) - Northern Graphite Corporation (TSXV: NGC) (OTCQB: NGPHF) (the \"Company\" or \"Northern\") announces that comprehensive metallurgical testing carried out at SGS Lakefield has validated changes designed to simplify the flow sheet for the Bissett Creek Project and to reduce capital and operating costs. Testing indicated that the new flowsheet will increase average concentrate purities from 94.5 to 97.2 per cent with a small decline in recoveries (from 94.7 to 92.4 per cent) and large flake yields. Due to the premium paid for higher purity concentrates, the net effect will be an increase of approximately US$100/tonne in estimated concentrate sales prices. Gregory Bowes CEO commented: \"Northern is fortunate to have an economic project now based on selling larger flake sizes into higher priced, industrial markets. There is an immediate need for a new large flake mine and very few exist, particularly in politically stable jurisdictions.\" He added: \"Small flake graphite used in the battery market is currently priced under US$600/t which approximates the operating costs of many new projects. Higher prices are needed to stimulate the development of new supply which is critical for the EV industry to meet projected sales and to diversify supply away from China.\"The revised flowsheet uses semi-autogenous grinding alone followed by rougher flotation and two stages of polishing and cleaner flotation. A large regrind mill, small polishing mill, cleaner flotation circuit and sulphide tailings regrind circuit have all been removed. As a result, Bissett Creek will have one of the simplest flow sheets and lowest costs per tonne of ore mined and processed in the industry. Bissett Creek ore is relatively soft, has a low work index and readily splits along cleavage planes and at the graphite/gangue interface easily releasing the graphite flakes without excessive grinding. The deposit also has a low degree of weathering and little variability, both of which have created metallurgical challenges for other projects. Low costs combined with one of the best flake size distributions will result in Bissett Creek being one of the highest margin graphite deposits in the world.The flowsheet changes were incorporated into updated ...