30 November 2021
For personal use only
Successful Springdale Graphite Optimisation Test Results
Highlights:
- Further optimisation testing on yield improvements in the production of spherical graphite have been successful with yield increasing from 40% to 60%
- Tap density of the 15 micron SPG produced also increased from 0.90kg/l to industry standard 0.93kg/l
- Successful results highlight the amenability of Springdale product for use in commercial lithium-ion battery anode materials
Comet Resources Ltd (Comet or the Company) (ASX:CRL) is pleased to provide the successful results of the final phase of specialist test work on natural flake graphite from its Springdale Graphite Project (Springdale) located in Western Australia. The results of optimisation work aimed at improving the yield in the production of spherical graphite (SPG) were highly successful. By classifying the material in an air classifier into fine and coarse fractions to separate the fines fraction prior to the production of the SPG, yield was improved from 30-40% in prior testing, to 60%, which is considered a good yield. Further, as less material was input into the process of spheronisation after the classifying stage was completed, the throughput increased and energy consumption was reduced.
In addition to the positive results from optimisation on yield, testing for tap density on the 15 micron SPG produced revealed that tap density had also increased. Prior testing results for tap density of the 15 micron SPG were 0.90kg/l, however on the material that was produced after use of the air classifier, tap density increased to 0.93kg/l, which is in line with generally accepted commercial specification for production of SPG to be used in the manufacture of battery anode material for use in lithium-ion batteries.
Further test work will be paused pending the completion of the proposed transaction with International Graphite (see CRL announcement of 27 October 2021), which is subject to shareholder approval at the Company's Annual General Meeting scheduled to be held on Friday 17 December 2021 at 9:00 am (WST).
Testing Background:
Test work completed initially in 2019 and 2020 identified that graphite concentrate from Springdale, in particular in the high grade mineralisation, was quite a unique product due to its very fine size fraction, and also due the platy nature of the fine flake. Recognising that these properties may potentially have applications for battery anode material, a decision was made earlier in 2021 to generate a bulk sample of graphite concentrate to send to Germany for evaluation by a specialist graphite test facility. This press release details the final results of that testing process.
This announcement has been authorised by the Board of Comet Resources Limited
For further information please contact:
MATTHEW O'KANE
Managing Director
(08) 6489 1600
cometres.com.au
Suite 9, 330 Churchill Avenue Subiaco WA 6008 PO Box 866 Subiaco WA 6904
30 November 2021
For personal use only
About Comet Resources
Santa Teresa Gold Project (Mexico)
The Santa Teresa Gold Project is comprised of two mineral claims totalling 202 hectares located in the gold rich El Alamo district, approximately 100 km southeast of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico; and 250 km southeast of San Diego, California, USA. The Project is prospective for high grade gold. In addition to the two claims of the Project, two additional claims totalling a further 378 hectares in the surrounding El Alamo district are being acquired from EARL.
Barraba Copper Project (NSW)
The 2,375ha exploration license that covers the project area, EL8492, is located near the town of Barraba, approximately 550km north of Sydney. It sits along the Peel Fault line and encompasses the historic Gulf Creek and Murchison copper mines. The region is known to host volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) style mineralisation containing copper, zinc, lead and precious metals. Historical workings at Gulf Creek produced high-grade copper and zinc for a short period around the turn of the 19th century, and this area will form a key part of the initial exploration focus.
Northern Territory Projects (NT)
The portfolio of Northern Territory exploration licenses and exploration license applications covers an area of approximately 840km2. Although historical exploration results were indicative of near surface gold and copper mineralisation, very limited modern exploration has occurred. Comet plans to utilise modern exploration techniques to rapidly advance the scale of known mineralisation, especially where known geophysical and geochemical anomalies exist that have not been comprehensively drill tested.
Springdale Graphite Project (WA)
The 100% owned Springdale graphite project is located approximately 30 kilometres east of Hopetoun in South Western Australia. The project is situated on free hold land with good access to infrastructure, being within 150 kilometres of the port at Esperance via sealed roads. The tenements lie within the deformed southern margin of the Yilgarn Craton and constitute part of the Albany-Fraser Orogen. Comet owns 100% of the three tenement's (E74/562 and E74/612) that make up the Springdale project, with a total land holding of approximately 198 square kilometres.
Competent Persons Statement
The information in this report that relates to Mineral Resources is based on information compiled by Matthew Jones, who is a Competent Persons and Member of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Matthew Jones is a consultant and was previously Exploration Manager of the Company. He has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the "Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves". Matthew Jones consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears.
The information in this report that relates to metallurgical test work results is based on information reviewed by Mr David Pass, who is a Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Pass is an employee of BatteryLimits. Mr Pass has sufficient experience relevant to the mineralogy and type of deposit under consideration and the typical beneficiation thereof to qualify as a Competent Person as defined by the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (the JORC Code, 2012 Edition). Mr Pass consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on the reviewed information in the form and context in which it appears.
For personal use only
30 November 2021
Forward-Looking Statement
This announcement includes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning Comet Resources Limited's planned exploration programs, corporate activities and any, and all, statements that are not historical facts. When used in this document, words such as "could," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may", "potential," "should" and similar expressions are forward-looking statements. Comet Resources Limited believes that its forward-looking statements are reasonable; however, forward looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and no assurance can be given that actual future results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. All figures presented in this document are unaudited and this document does not contain any forecasts of profitability or loss.
30 November 2021
For personal use only
JORC Code, 2012 Edition - Table 1
Section 1. Sampling Techniques and Data
(Criteria listed in the preceding section also apply to all succeeding sections)
Criteria | JORC Code explanation | Commentary | |
Sampling | • Nature and quality of sampling (eg cut channels, random | • | Diamond drilling was done to collect adequate |
techniques | chips, or specific specialised industry standard | samples for metallurgical and ore characterisation | |
measurement tools appropriate to the minerals under | testwork. | ||
investigation, such as down hole gamma sondes, or | • Individual sample intervals including graphitic zones | ||
handheld XRF instruments, etc). These examples should not | were sampled based on logged geology intervals | ||
be taken as limiting the broad meaning of sampling. | and can vary from 0.3m to 1.5m with the majority of | ||
• Include reference to measures taken to ensure sample | samples at 1m intervals. | ||
representivity and the appropriate calibration of any | • Samples were ¼ PQ3 or ¼ HQ3 core and were cut | ||
measurement tools or systems used. | and sampled at Nagrom Labs from Comet specified | ||
• Aspects of the determination of mineralisation that are | cut sheets using either an automatic diamond core | ||
Material to the Public Report. | saw where competent, or manually by hand using a | ||
• In cases where 'industry standard' work has been done this | paint scraper, where soft and friable (oxidised clays). | ||
would be relatively simple (eg 'reverse circulation drilling was | • Core was first cut in half lengthwise and then one half | ||
used to obtain 1 m samples from which 3 kg was pulverised | was cut in half again for the ¼ core sample. This | ||
to produce a 30 g charge for fire assay'). In other cases more | produced an approximate 2kg sample which is | ||
explanation may be required, such as where there is coarse | considered representative of the full drill metre | ||
gold that has inherent sampling problems. Unusual | interval sampled. | ||
commodities or mineralisation types (eg submarine nodules) | • Drill samples selected for analysis were limited to | ||
may warrant disclosure of detailed information. | those containing visible graphite, together with a one | ||
to two metre buffer of barren country rock. | |||
• | Graphite quality and rock classifications were | ||
visually determined by field geologist. | |||
• Metallurgical test samples of 3/4 PQ diameter core | |||
were visually selected from mineralised intervals of | |||
HD024 and HD031. The samples represent typical | |||
mineralised zones drilled within the project area. | |||
Drilling | Drill type (eg core, reverse circulation, open-hole hammer, | • Diamond Drilling (DD) was conducted with Rotary | |
techniques | rotary air blast, auger, Bangka, sonic, etc) and details (eg core | Mud (MR) pre-collars. | |
diameter, triple or standard tube, depth of diamond tails, face- | • DD and RM was completed by DDH1 Drilling using a | ||
sampling bit or other type, whether core is oriented and if so, by | track mounted Sandvik DE710 diamond rig (Rig 42). | ||
what method, etc). | • Core size was PQ3 (85mm diameter) and HQ3 | ||
(61.1mm diameter) triple tube system. | |||
• All inclined core holes were oriented using a True | |||
Core PQ or HQ orientation tool, TC0999/TC0156. | |||
Due to the deeply oxidized nature of the core not all | |||
orientations were successful, so the majority of the | |||
core remains un-orientated. | |||
• Where orientated successfully dip and dip direction | |||
structural measurements were collected using a | |||
rocket launcher style CORE Orientation device or | |||
cradle. | |||
Drill sample | • Method of recording and assessing core and chip sample | • DD Sample recovery was measured and recorded | |
recovery | recoveries and results assessed. | for each core run. | |
• Measures taken to maximise sample recovery and ensure | • Downhole depths were validated against core blocks | ||
representative nature of the samples. | and drillers sheets. | ||
• Whether a relationship exists between sample recovery and | • | DD core recoveries were good in fresh and | |
grade and whether sample bias may have occurred due to | moderately weathered material. | ||
preferential loss/gain of fine/coarse material. | • Core recovery was reduced in some instances in | ||
highly weathered clay zones and this was recorded | |||
in sampling details. | |||
• Twin hole comparison of RC vs Diamond Indicated | |||
that there is no sample bias for graphite assays | |||
• There does not appear to be any relationship | |||
between sample recovery and grade. | |||
Logging | • Whether core and chip samples have been geologically and | • All drillholes were geologically logged in full by an | |
geotechnically logged to a level of detail to support | independent geologist. MR pre-collars were bagged | ||
appropriate Mineral Resource estimation, mining studies and | from the collar water and logged but not sampled. | ||
metallurgical studies. | • All data is initially captured on paper logging sheets |
30 November 2021
• Whether logging is qualitative or quantitative in nature. Core | and transferred to pre-formatted excel tables and | ||||
only | (or costean, channel, etc) photography. | • | loaded into the project specific drillhole database. | ||
• The total length and percentage of the relevant intersections | The logging and reporting of visual graphite | ||||
logged. | percentages on field logs is semi‐quantitative. A | ||||
reference to previous logs and assays is used as a | |||||
reference. | |||||
• All logs are checked and validated by an external | |||||
geologist before loading into the database. Logging | |||||
is of sufficient quality for current studies. | |||||
Sub- | • | If core, whether cut or sawn and whether quarter, half or all | • All sampling was carefully marked up on core and | ||
sampling | core taken. | core trays (where oxidised and difficult to write on) | |||
techniques | • | If non-core, whether riffled, tube sampled, rotary split, etc | with paint markers and photographed before core | ||
and sample | and whether sampled wet or dry. | trays were sent to the Nagrom for cutting and | |||
preparation | • | For all sample types, the nature, quality and appropriateness | sampling. | ||
use | of the sample preparation technique. | • Diamond core samples were cut lengthwise using a | |||
• Quality control procedures adopted for all sub-sampling | manual core saw. The core was cut in half, and then | ||||
stages to maximise representivity of samples. | one half was quartered to provide samples for | ||||
• | Measures taken to ensure that the sampling is | metallurgical testwork and assaying respectively. | |||
representative of the in situ material collected, including for | One quarter core is kept for reference in the trays. | ||||
instance results for field duplicate/second-half sampling. | • Individual ¼ core samples were collected in labelled | ||||
• Whether sample sizes are appropriate to the grain size of the | foil trays and prepped as below. | ||||
material being sampled. | • Duplicate samples were inserted at the NAGROM | ||||
Lab in Perth using a coarse crushed split of the | |||||
specified sample interval. Coarse duplicates were | |||||
inserted approximately 1:25 samples. | |||||
personal | • Samples sizes are considered appropriate and | ||||
representative of graphite material being sampled. | |||||
Quality of | • | The nature, quality and appropriateness of the assaying and | • Analysis was completed at Nagrom.and IMO | ||
assay data | laboratory procedures used and whether the technique is | • Quarter core analytical samples were separately | |||
and | considered partial or total. | coarse crushed to a nominal topsize of 6.3mm | |||
laboratory | • | For geophysical tools, spectrometers, handheld XRF | (CRU01), dried at 105°C (DRY01), and where over | ||
tests | instruments, etc, the parameters used in determining the | 2.5kg riffle split (SPL01). | |||
analysis including instrument make and model, reading | • The sample is then pulverised to 80% passing 75μm | ||||
times, calibrations factors applied and their derivation, etc. | (PUL01). | ||||
• Nature of quality control procedures adopted (eg standards, | • A LabfitCS2000 combustion /IR analyser was used | ||||
blanks, duplicates, external laboratory checks) and whether | for Graphitic Carbon analysis (0.1 % to 100% | ||||
acceptable levels of accuracy (ie lack of bias) and precision | detection limits). | ||||
have been established. | • | Graphitic Carbon (TGC; CS003, 0.1% lower | |||
detection), Total Carbon (TC; CS001, 0.1% detection | |||||
limit) and Total Sulphur (TS; CS001, 0.1% detection | |||||
limit) is analysed by Total Combustion Analysis. | |||||
• For TC and TGC, the prepared sample is dissolved | |||||
in HCl over heat until all carbonate material is | |||||
removed. The residue is then heated to drive off | |||||
organic content. The final residue is combusted in | |||||
oxygen with a Carbon-Sulphur Analyser and | |||||
analysed for Total Graphitic Carbon (TGC) and Total | |||||
Carbon (TC). | |||||
• Sample size is appropriate for the material being | |||||
For | tested. | ||||
• QC measures include duplicate samples, blanks and | |||||
certified standards (1:20) | |||||
• CRL is confident that the assay results are accurate | |||||
and precise and that no bias has been introduced. | |||||
• All data is initially captured on paper logging sheets | |||||
and transferred to pre-formatted excel tables and | |||||
loaded into the project specific drillhole database. | |||||
Paper logs are scanned and stored on the | |||||
companies server. Original logs are stored in the | |||||
Perth office. | |||||
• Assay data is provided as .pdf and .csv files from the | |||||
laboratory and entered into the project specific | |||||
drillhole database. Spot checks are made against the | |||||
laboratory certificates. | |||||
• No adjustments have been made to assay data. | |||||
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Comet Resources Limited published this content on 30 November 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 30 November 2021 00:30:10 UTC.