| | | G3M Albany Graphite Purification and Anode Material Development Project
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Here’s a detailed summary of the Albany Graphite Corp. (AGC) “Purification and Anode Material Development Project” (sometimes referred to in connection with the Natural Resources Canada – CanmetENERGY “G3M” work) — its context, goals, technology, and next-steps.
Project Overview
Project Name: Albany Graphite Purification & Anode Material Development Project
Lead Company: Albany Graphite Corp. (“AGC”), a subsidiary of Zentek Ltd.. Zentek Ltd.+2WebDisclosure+2
Grant Support: A grant of CA$500,000 awarded from the Ontario Government’s Critical Minerals Innovation Fund (CMIF). WebDisclosure+1
Additional Support:
- AGC’s internal contribution: ~CA$314,500. WebDisclosure+1
- In-kind support from NRCan / CanmetENERGY (~CA$200,000) in technical expertise & specialized equipment. Zentek Ltd.+1
Project Location / Deposit:
The project centres on the Albany Graphite Project, an igneous-hosted, fluid-derived graphite deposit in northeastern Ontario, near the communities of Constance Lake First Nation and Hearst. Zentek Ltd.+1
Key Objectives The major goals of the project include:
- Produce a flotation concentrate of graphite: Approximately 5 – 6 tonnes of ~85% Total Graphitic Carbon (TGC) concentrate derived from about a 110-tonne bulk sample collected in 2019. Charged EVs+1
- Purification to ultra-high purity: Using an electrothermal fluidized bed reactor (FBR) developed by CanmetENERGY / AETC to upgrade the concentrate to battery- and nuclear-grade graphite (targeting “five-nines” purity, i.e., 99.999% or better). Zentek Ltd.+1
- Anode material development (and other high-value markets): Evaluate the purified graphite’s suitability for lithium-ion battery anode and cathode additive applications, and for nuclear industry uses. Zentek Ltd.+1
- Scale-up & supply chain positioning: Develop the processing flowsheet and engineering data that will support future economic studies (NI 43-101, PEA, PFS) and aim toward a vertically-integrated North American supply chain for battery-grade graphite. NationTalk
Technical Highlights & Achievements Here are some of the most notable technical milestones and aspects of the project:
- In July 2024, AGC announced the purification of a graphite sample from the Albany deposit to 99.99915% by weight (i.e., five-nines) via a fixed-bed furnace process (2,700 °C, argon atmosphere) on a 10 g sample. The impurity concentration was ~8.48 ppm (0.00085% wt). Zentek Ltd.
- On January 8, 2025, AGC announced a new result: 99.9991% purity achieved directly from a ~950 g sample of ~85% TGC flotation concentrate, via a pilot FBR, without intermediate hydrometallurgical upgrading (in that test at least). Zentek Ltd.+1
- On September 22, 2025, AGC (with AETC) reported a second batch purified to 99.9992% wt. carbon, and an Equivalent Boron Concentration (EBC) of 2.60 ppm, which is below the < 3 ppm spec required by the nuclear industry. Zentek Ltd.
- A notable advantage: the purification process in these tests reportedly did not require chlorine gas or other halogen-gas purification (a conventional method for ultra-high-purity graphite). Charged EVs+1
- The feed material for purification was found to contain Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and other potential elements of value, captured in the exhaust scrubber of the FBR, suggesting a potential by-product stream. StreetInsider.com+1
Strategic Importance - Graphite is a critical mineral in Ontario’s Critical Minerals Strategy 2022-2027, especially given the demand from electric vehicles (up to ~125 kg graphite per vehicle). StreetInsider.com+1
- By achieving an ultra-high-purity graphite material in Ontario, AGC aims to participate in the North American battery supply chain, potentially producing battery-ready anode materials, rather than just selling raw graphite concentrate. Charged EVs
- Diversification into nuclear-grade graphite (traditionally synthetic) adds another high-value market outlet for the purified material, extending use beyond batteries. Zentek Ltd.+1
- The deployment of the FBR and scale-up testwork helps de-risk the deposit and processing route, providing engineering data for upcoming more formalized economic studies (e.g., PEA, PFS under NI 43-101). NationTalk
Next Steps & Challenges Next Steps - Move from pilot-scale to continuous feed purification (scale-up) using the FBR and associated equipment, to produce higher volumes of ultra-high purity graphite. NationTalk+1
- Supply marketing samples of the ultra-high purity graphite to OEMs / end-users for qualification testing in battery anode and nuclear applications. Charged EVs
- Undertake technic o-economic analysis, flowsheet optimization, and then proceed to early stage economic studies (Preliminary Economic Assessment, Pre-Feasibility Study) per NI 43-101 standards. Zentek Ltd.
- Demonstrate reproducibility of ultra-high purity results in larger batches, ensure the particle-size distribution, compaction, resistivity, shape, and other material properties meet application specs (especially for nuclear). Zentek Ltd.
Challenges / Risk Factors - Scale from grams or small batches to ton-scale production of ultra-high purity graphite remains non-trivial (both engineering and cost).
- Ensuring the material meets battery-anode specifications (e.g., spheroidization, coating, electrochemical performance) is more than just purity — the graphite must also have appropriate morphology, conductivity, lithium intercalation performance, etc. Zentek Ltd.
- Costs of purification (thermal, equipment, energy) and capital/operating costs for the FBR may impact economics — will the process be cost-competitive with imported anode materials or synthetic graphite producers?
- Market and supply chain competition: other graphite producers globally are advancing battery-grade and nuclear-grade graphite. The uniqueness of the Albany deposit provides advantages, but commercial success will depend on cost, performance, and supply reliability.
- Regulatory / environmental / infrastructure constraints: although the deposit is near infrastructure, moving from advanced exploration to production always brings permitting, environmental, community engagement (especially near First Nations communities) and infrastructure risks.
Summary In short, the Albany Graphite Purification & Anode Material Development Project is a forward-looking initiative by AGC (via Zentek) to transform the Albany Graphite deposit into a vertically integrated producer of ultra-high-purity graphite for high-value applications (battery anodes, nuclear graphite). The recent technical results (>99.999% purity; EBC 2.60 ppm) are promising and suggest the deposit’s natural graphite can meet very stringent standards — potentially without the need for more hazardous halogen-gas purification methods. The Ontario CMIF grant and support from NRCan/CanmetENERGY help reduce risk and accelerate the technology development and scale-up.
If successful, this could position the Albany project as a key North American source of battery-ready graphite and contribute to domestic critical minerals supply chains. However, scaling, cost, qualification and market dynamics remain critical. |
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