Focus Graphite Inc. (TSX VENTURE:FMS)(OTCQX:FCSMF)(FRANKFURT:FKC) ("Focus" or
the "Company") is very pleased to report pilot plant test results from its
flagship Lac Knife high grade flake graphite project located in the Grenville
Geological Province of northeastern Quebec. This work was performed as part of
the ongoing Lac Knife concentrator flowsheet design process. The graphite
concentrates generated from the pilot flotation plant will be subjected to
further purification tests as part of ongoing metallurgical studies. 


Highlights:



--  The average grade of the coarse size fraction (+ 80 mesh) was 98.3%
    Total Carbon(i) ("Ct") compared with 97.4% Ct in the Phase 2 Locked
    Cycle Tests(ii) ("LCTs") 
    
--  The average grade of the medium size fraction, less than 80 mesh and
    greater than 150 mesh in size, was 98.2% Ct compared with 97.4% Ct in
    the Phase 2 LCTs 
    
--  The average grade of the size fraction greater than 200 mesh was 98.0%
    Ct compared with 97.2% Ct in the Phase 2 LCTs 
    
--  The average carbon content of the pilot plant campaign was 96.6% Ct
    compared to 96.4% Ct reported in the Company's July 9, 2013 press
    release on the final results of the Phase II LCTs. It is important to
    note that these results were achieved despite the fact that the less
    than 200 mesh fraction was not subjected to another cleaning circuit in
    the pilot plant run as was done in the LCTs, meaning the carbon content
    of the overall sample would likely have been even higher. 
    
--  These results indicate that all three concentrate size fractions may be
    easier and more cost effective to beneficiate into technology grade
    graphite due to the high grade carbon content obtained from the pilot
    plant testing. Higher concentrate grades translates into reduced levels
    of impurities that have to be removed in the thermal or
    hydrometallurgical purification processes. 
    

                                                                            
   (i)All carbon analyses were performed by SGS Canada Inc. ("SGS") and     
   are reported as total carbon ("Ct"). The analytical methods that were    
   used to determine the metallurgical results included total carbon        
   analysis by Leco on the final concentrates. The lower grade tailings     
   products were analyzed by the graphitic carbon ("Cgr") method to         
   discount the organic carbon and carbonate carbon in the samples.         



The fact that the medium and large graphite flakes could be upgraded to purity
levels ranging between 98% Ct and 98.3% Ct by flotation suggests that the
impurities are attached to the surface of the graphite flakes in the flotation
concentrate and have the potential to be upgraded even further, to purity levels
required by battery grade graphite manufacturers. The objective of the pilot
plant testing was to produce the highest quality large flake graphite
concentrate.


The pilot plant metallurgical testing was completed by SGS on a 23.3 tonne
composite of drill core samples collected from the massive, semi-massive and low
grade mineralization zones of the Lac Knife graphite deposit. The average total
carbon (Ct(i)) head grade of the bulk sample was lower than the deposit average
grade at 11.8% Ct in order to be able to increase the amount of mineralized
material available for pilot plant testing at that time. Even with the lower
head grade the metallurgical results were excellent confirming the robustness of
the concentrator flowsheet design. 


Overall, the graphite concentrate recovery decreased slightly from 92.5% in the
Phase 2 LCTs to 91.0% in the pilot plant tests, while the amount of large flake
graphite concentrate greater than 80 mesh recovered in the pilot plant test was
33.5% by weight compared with 42.5% in the LCTs. The decrease in large graphite
flake recovery is attributable to the decision to employ aggressive polishing
techniques that successfully improved the quality and increased the carbon
content of the large flake graphite concentrate during the pilot plant tests.
The assumption that the aggressive polishing conditions led to a breakage and/or
folding of the graphite flakes is supported by the fact that the medium sized
flake concentrate recovery with a size range of less than 80 mesh and greater
than 150 mesh, increased to 29.8% from 21.2% in the LCTs. 




                                                                            
   (ii) A locked cycle test (LCT) is a repetitive batch flotation test      
   conducted to assess flow sheet design. It is the preferred method for    
   arriving at a metallurgical projection from laboratory testing. In a     
   LCT the intermediate products are incorporated in the following          
   cycles, thus simulating a continuous flotation circuit on a laboratory   
   scale.                                                                   



Focus President and CEO Gary Economo said: "The pilot plant test results confirm
once more the overall quality of our flake graphite resource at Lac Knife; a
level of excellence that helps to further de-risk the project. More importantly,
the results indicate that all of Lac Knife's future production holds the
potential for purification to premium-priced technology-grade graphite.


"Lac Knife," he added, "provides the foundation for our mine-to-market to
value-added technology business strategy. We anticipate no impediments to the
successful execution of our mining and related corporate objectives."


Dr. Joseph Doninger, Director of Manufacturing and Technology for Focus
Graphite, stated: "The +98% Ct purity level and high recoveries achieved on the
greater than 200 mesh flake size of graphite during the pilot plant tests
confirm the robustness of the Lac Knife concentrator flowsheet design developed
by SGS Inc. in the Phase I & II LCTs conducted in 2012 and 2013." 


About SGS Metallurgical Services (Lakefield)

SGS Canada Inc. ("SGS") is recognized as a world leader in the development of
concentrator flowsheet design and pilot plant testing programs. SGS'
Metallurgical Services division was founded over half a century ago. Its
metallurgists, hydro-metallurgists and chemical engineers are experienced in all
the major physical and chemical separation processes utilized in the recovery of
metals and minerals contained in resource properties around the world.


The information pertaining to the metallurgical test program completed by SGS
that is presented in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr.
Oliver Peters, M.Sc., P.Eng, MBA, SGS Canada Inc. Consulting Metallurgist. Mr.
Peters has extensive experience in the development of metallurgical processes
and has managed the majority of the graphite testing programs conducted at SGS
in recent years.


This news release has been reviewed by Mr. Jeff Hussey, P.Geo (Quebec),
VP-Project Development for Focus Graphite and a Qualified Person under NI 43-101
guidelines. 


About Focus Graphite

Focus Graphite Inc. is an emerging mid-tier junior mining development company, a
technology solutions supplier and a business innovator. Focus is the owner of
the Lac Knife graphite deposit located in the Cote-Nord region of northeastern
Quebec. The Lac Knife project hosts a NI 43-101 compliant Indicated Mineral
Resource Estimate of 4.9 million tonnes grading 15.8% graphitic carbon (Cgr) as
crystalline graphite with an additional Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate of
3.0 Mt grading 15.6% Cgr of crystalline graphite. Focus' goal is to assume an
industry leadership position by becoming a low-cost producer of technology-grade
graphite. On October 29th, 2012 the Company released the results of a
Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") of the Lac Knife Project which
demonstrated that the project has an excellent potential to become a graphite
producer. As a technology-oriented enterprise with a view to building long-term,
sustainable shareholder value, Focus also invests in the development of graphene
applications and patents through Grafoid Inc.


Forward Looking Statements - Disclaimer

This news release may contain forward looking statements, being statements which
are not historical facts, and discussions of future plans and objectives. There
can be no assurance that such statements will prove accurate. Such statements
are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that are
subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and
future events to differ materially from those anticipated or projected.
Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the
Company's expectations are in our documents filed from time to time with the TSX
Venture Exchange and provincial securities regulators, most of which are
available at www.sedar.com Focus Graphite disclaims any intention or obligation
to revise or update such statements.


Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term
is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility
for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.



FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: 
Mr. Gary Economo
President and Chief Executive Officer
613-691-1091, ext. 101
geconomo@focusgraphite.com
www.focusgraphite.com

Focus Graphite (TSXV:FMS)
Graphique Historique de l'Action
De Nov 2024 à Déc 2024 Plus de graphiques de la Bourse Focus Graphite
Focus Graphite (TSXV:FMS)
Graphique Historique de l'Action
De Déc 2023 à Déc 2024 Plus de graphiques de la Bourse Focus Graphite