Page 11 - AfrElec Week 38 2022
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AfrElec                                      RENEWABLES                                              AfrElec


       Gratomic releases update for





       Namibia’s Aukam Graphite project






        NAMIBIA          CANADA-BASED global graphite supplier  a press release.
                         Gratomic has released an update on earth-mov-  “During the process, the team intercepted its
                         ing activities at its flagship Aukam Graphite pro-  first mineralised vein and started moving mate-
                         ject in Namibia.                     rial to the ROM pad. A representative sample of
                           The TSXV-listed company has updated inves-  the material will be sent to the laboratory to con-
                         tors on the progress of its benching programme  firm grade,” it added.
                         at Aukam, where first material has recently been   According to Gratomic’s chief executive
                         moved to the run-of-mine (ROM) pad, Proac-  officer (CEO) Arno Brand, the company’s recent
                         tive Investors reported.             financing secured its ability to complete the
                           Gratomic is focused on high-grade, natural  benching and initial mining programmes.
                         graphite deposits in desirable mining jurisdic-  “I am very pleased to witness the rapid
                         tions. The company currently has projects in  progress being made by our in-house mining
                         Namibia, Brazil and Canada, and aims to secure  team,” Brand was quoted by Proactive Investors
                         a strong position in the electric vehicle (EV) bat-  as saying. “The first intercept of graphite came
                         tery supply chain.                   weeks ahead of expectation and brings forth a
                           The benching process consists of “berms”  great deal of excitement as we steadily prepare to
                         (raised level shelf) cut into the mountain edge  re-launch mining operations at Aukam for the
                         to gradually expose underground material and  first time in 46 years.”
                         collect graphite in stages while maintaining   Gratomic is working towards a feasibility
                         the stability of the mountain, writes Proactive  study (FS) on the Aukam processing plant, which
                         Investors.                           will provide recommendations for upgrading
                           According to Gratomic, the preparation  the existing processing plant to a commercial
                         phase of the benching programme is of the  facility capable of delivering the desired concen-
                         utmost importance as it is focused on maintain-  trate grades and production rates.
                         ing the safety and stability of the mountain struc-  The supply of graphite is conditional on Gra-
                         ture throughout the entire benching process.  tomic being able to bring the Aukam project into
                           “During the past several weeks, road con-  a production phase, and for any graphite being
                         struction was completed to the upper part of the  produced to meet certain technical and mineral-
                         mountain, and actual benching of the moun-  isation requirements, says the company.™
                         tainside began in earnest,” the company said in






































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