Lincoln Minerals has outlined a staged development strategy as it progresses the Kookaburra graphite project (KGP) in South Australia.
The project leverages a high-grade graphite core at surface, which eliminates the need for pre-stripping.
In the first phase, Lincoln aims to produce up to 20,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of high-quality graphite concentrate, which will utilise the existing mining licence (ML 6460).
This will be supported by a 2017 feasibility study and a draft program for Environment Protection and Rehabilitation (PEPR), enabling the swift completion of remaining approvals.
Lincoln expects to complete an updated pre-feasibility study by the fourth quarter of 2024, anticipating strong interest in the project as it aims to be one of Australia’s leading graphite producers.
Lincoln chief executive officer Jonathon Trewartha said Kookaburra has plenty of upside.
“Lincoln’s Kookaburra graphite project is unique in Australia, in that it benefits from extremely high-grade graphite at surface, requiring no pre-strip, thanks to an orebody which literally sticks out of the ground,” he said.
“This positions Lincoln to generate attractive returns, even at low graphite prices.”
The second phase plans to expand production to 75,000tpa of high-quality graphite.
The project’s proximity to existing infrastructure and Port Lincoln enhances logistical efficiency, further minimising costs.
“Our strategy to stage the development and initially to focus on the high grade at KGP will also allow us to progress to first ore potentially quicker than any other Australian project and enable Lincoln to deliver production-scale graphite concentrate for qualification in the EV markets while we plan the development of a larger project to feed the global demand for high quality anode material,” Trewartha said.
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