They had some "issues" I believe, which were sorted out by SGS...
Ramp up of the plant began in March 2013 and by June 2013 it was clear that there were unforeseen metallurgical issues with the
plant as the 204t produced had a total graphitic carbon (TGC) content of 75%-78% TGC lower than the +90% TGC expected and required to command higher prices.
As a result the Board appointed a highly experienced Mine and Plant Manager and a Country Manager. The Executive Board has also recently been strengthened with the appointment of Manoli Yannaghas as Managing Director (formerly a Non-Executive Director) and Laurie Hunter as Non-Executive Chairman.
The upgraded management team then rapidly commissioned further metallurgical testing that was completed in November 2013. These tests revealed that silicates associated with the clay had a strong bond with the graphite flakes.
As a result, these silicates could not easily be separated from the graphite using the existing processing stream, causing the production of a lower grade concentrate.
The metallurgical study provided a simple solution to the issues with a second stage of attritioning of the flotation concentrate (rougher concentrate re-grind) in a granite pebble mill, producing a polished product that could be upgraded to over 90% TGC with a further stage of flotation. The product created by the additional mill and a second stage of flotation and is also expected to contain 75% higher value extra-large flakes (+80 mesh) and 20% medium flakes (+100 mesh).
StratMin (AIM: STGR), the graphite production and exploration company with assets in Madagascar is
pleased to report the conclusions of a recent operations review at its Lohorano property and laboratory
scale testwork based on grab samples treated at SGS South Africa (Pty) Limited (SGS) and MINTEK under
the guidance of StratMin's appointed consultants, PROMET DADI AFRICA (Pty) Limited (PROMET).
