Gratomic drilling at Aukam graphite project, Namibia
Gratomic Inc. [GRAT-TSXV; CBULF-OTCQX; CB81-FSE] has commenced the next stage of drilling at the company’s flagship 63%-owned Aukam graphite project in Namibia. The diamond drilling (DD) campaign officially kicked off on May 16, 2022, with data gathered and targets defined using results collected from previous reverse circulation (RC) drilling and geophysical surveys, as outlined in this news release.
The preliminary drilling process used to gather accurate and sufficient data in order to proceed with further drilling was completed in November of 2021. This drilling was an RC drilling program, with the intent of providing enough data to proceed with the DD campaign. RC drilling in graphite is generally used as an exploratory tool rather than a resource defining tool, where, at Aukam, it clearly delineated the direction and depth of graphite mineralization. Part of the purpose of the DD program is to accurately define the mineralization intersected by the RC drilling campaign.
The company commissioned SkyTeam to conduct an electromagnetic airborne geophysical survey of the main areas of interest to further refine targets as a cost-saving mechanism. This survey was completed in April of 2022.
Over the past four months, Gratomic has commissioned its in-house mining engineering team to design and construct a road up the side of the Aukam mountain to accommodate access to DD teams and to later be used as an access road for further exploration and development.
This information will be used to conclude NI 43-101 compliant technical reports that are currently under way at Aukam, particularly the geology report, which is intended to define resources. The company has engaged an independent QP (qualified person) for the writing of the geology report.
Gratomic is a multinational company with projects in Namibia, Brazil and Canada. The company is focused on becoming a leading global graphite supplier and aims to secure a strong position in the EV (electric vehicle) battery supply chain. The company is also exploring its Capim Grosso property.
Large quantities of high-quality vein graphite have been shipped for testing to confirm its viability as an anode material. Gratomic is confident that the test results will provide a unique competitive advantage in its desired target markets.
The company has formed a collaboration agreement with Forge Nano. With its patented ALD (atomic layer deposition) coating, this co-operation with Forge Nano is a key element to support Gratomic’s strategies toward the value-added phases of the production of graphite for anode applications, namely micronization, spheronization and coating, making Gratomic graphite a preferred choice for use in lithium-ion batteries.