Sarytogan Graphite Limited has produced approximately 30 kilograms of refined graphite products from scaled-up purification, spheroidization, and coating trials, achieving quality metrics that exceed standard lithium-ion battery requirements.

The trials used material extracted during a 2024 trial mining exercise, when Sarytogan completed a 24-tonne bulk sample extraction from the Central Graphite Zone. That material was processed through pilot-scale comminution in Kazakhstan before being shipped to American Energy Technologies Company in Illinois for thermal purification in a continuous fluidised bed reactor operating at approximately 2,800 degrees Celsius without acids or halogens.

The resulting ultra-high purity fines achieved carbon grades exceeding 99.99%. Subsequent spheroidization and classification across cuts 0 to 7 generated spheroidal yields of up to 97.7%, compared with a maximum yield of 54% recorded during baseline testing. Tap densities for those size fractions reached 0.99 to 1.26 grams per cubic centimetre, marking a notable increase from previous results.

The processing runs also yielded d50 sphere sizes ranging from 4 to 12 microns, positioning the product at the finer end of the industry-typical spectrum of 5 to 25 microns. Sarytogan notes that smaller sphere sizes and elevated tap densities are typically associated with faster charging capabilities and higher energy densities in active anode materials.

Following the trials, five kilograms of coated spherical purified graphite will be shipped to a European battery prototyping organisation for assembly and electrochemical testing in large-format pouch-cell lithium-ion batteries. Additional product samples are being prepared for qualification testing by prospective industrial off-take partners and battery customers in Europe.

Managing Director Sean Gregory noted that the work represents "an important step forward in the development of Sarytogan's downstream graphite products," pointing out that smaller sphere sizes and ultra-high tap densities are valued for fast-charging and high-energy-density performance.

The Sarytogan Graphite Project holds designation as a Strategic Project under the European Union's Critical Raw Materials Act. Technical data from the downstream program will feed directly into a Downstream Definitive Feasibility Study, which is scheduled to follow the release of the upcoming Upstream Definitive Feasibility Study next quarter.

Read the full announcement: Downstream High-Quality CSPG