Name of the Project
Molo graphite project.

Location
Tulear region, south-western Madagascar.

Project Owner/s
Canadian battery materials development company NextSource Materials.

Project Description
The project is at the full feasibility study stage, and ranks as one of the biggest known highest-quality flake graphite deposits in the world; it is the only project with SuperFlake graphite.

NextSource will use an all-modular build approach to build the mine.

Initial production is expected to be 17 000 t/y over the first two years of production, followed by mine expansion in Year 3. The project could be incrementally expanded to provide additional feedstock for the company’s downstream initiatives.

The project also includes the construction of a hybrid solar photovoltaic, battery energy storage system and thermal energy facility.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
$24-million, plus $3-million for working capital.

Planned Start/End Date
Mine commissioning is targeted for 2022.

Latest Developments
NextSource Materials has shipped its first bulk container of SuperFlake graphite from the Molo mine.

The shipment is destined for a battery anode facility, where it will be processed into spheronised purified graphite (SPG), which will be further processed into coated SPG as part of multistep verification tests being conducted by electric vehicle supply chains in South Korea and Japan.

NextSource expects to receive the first series of verification test results in December.

Meanwhile, the company has commissioned a 2.69 MW solar photovoltaic array and 1.37 MWh battery energy storage system, coupled with a 3.1 MW thermal diesel generator, at the Molo mine.

The plant is owned and operated by CrossBoundary Energy under a 20-year power purchase agreement.

The solar hybrid plant will supply up to 100% of the processing plant’s power requirements during peak daylight hours, with the thermal facility poised to supply all baseload and off-peak power requirements to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the mine.

The solar hybrid plant will be able to provide up to 35% of Molo’s complete system power needs from renewable energy, which significantly reduces all-in sustaining costs and carbon emissions by 2 275 t/y.

The company aims to have at least 50% of the complete Molo system powered by renewable energy in future.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Erudite Strategies (engineering, procurement and construction management contractor).

Contact Details for Project Information
NextSource Materials, tel +1416364 4911 or executive VP corporate development Brent Nykoliation, email brent@nextsourcematerials.com.