Name of the Project
Balama Central graphite project.

Location
Cabo Delgado province, in northern Mozambique.

Project Owner/s
Battery Minerals.

Project Description
A feasibility study has found that Balama Central will generate outstanding returns.

The project has a maiden reserve of 19.66-million tonnes grading 11.06% total graphitic carbon (TGC) for 2.2-million tonnes of contained graphite and total mineral resources of 32.9-million tonnes grading 10.2% TGC. Mining will be undertaken using standard truck-and-excavator methods. Drill-and-blast of the fresh material will be required.

The process plant will process run-of-mine ore at an average rate of 480 000 t/y at more than 12.5% TGC to produce 58 000 t/y of dry graphite concentrate, with a grade of +96% TGC, over a 27 year mine life.

The processed tailings will be deposited in a tailings storage facility (TSF) with a basin footprint of 180 ha.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has a pretax internal rate of return of 55%, with a payback 2.3 years.

Capital Expenditure
Capital expenditure (capex) is estimated at $69.43-million.

Planned Start/End Date
Not stated.

Latest Developments
Tirupati Graphite has welcomed Battery Minerals’ announcement that it has been granted a mining licence for the Balama Central graphite project.

Tirupati is acquiring shares in a company that owns the Balama Central project and that is undertaking an advanced feasibility study on the project.

Tirupati entered into an agreement in August with Battery Minerals to acquire the entire issued share capital of Suni Resources, which holds the Montepuez graphite project and the Balama Central graphite project.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Mitchell Drilling Contractors Mozambique (resource drilling); RPM Global (feasibility study resource estimation); Snowden (resource to reserve estimation and life-of-mine design and scheduling, mine geotechnical study, mine layout and design, and mine design); WRP Consultants (surface hydrology study); LADP (graphite product metallurgical assessment, nonprocess plant infrastructure, process plant design and plant capex and operating expenditure estimates); Epoch (design and assessment of the TSF and water storage facility).

Contact Details for Project Information
Battery Minerals, tel +258 214 937 35 or email info@batteryminerals.com.