There is a frame work agreement with SOE China Rail Seventh...

There is a frame work agreement with SOE China Rail Seventh Group to act as head engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the project, however, unless I've missed something, details are yet to be finalised and inked.

Then there is the existing partnership with Yantai Jinyuan for design and supply of plant and machinery and some non processing infrastructure. I don't believe a binding EPC contract has been formalised as yet.

Yantai were hugely impressed with the performance of BKT product under plant bulk testing conditions and it will be interesting to what extent Yanyai may wish to be further involved. John DeVries has gone to pains to try to point out to the punters that even one basis percentage point increase in purity, whilst it may not seem like much, is a huge advantage in downstream processing/purity attainment costs. . Yantai, of course, are well aware of this. It is my guess, as an existing offtake partner, they may well wish to be more involved.
We shall see...

I believe the announcement will be thereabouts in these areas, which will be a significant step forward.

Whist other threads have been waxing lyrical about their own graphite and funding just around the corner, John DeVries has taken extraordinary pains to de- risk the project by answering all questions in an exceptionally thorough DFS followed up by conclusive bulk product testing with purity and minimal flake degradation that would be the envy of any graphite project.

The extent of BKT's bulk testing in China places BKT well ahead of the majority of graphite projects in my view; that should become obvious in the next announcement!

I am not reading anything into the delay other than such finalisations, particularly if involving both parties or more could be complex.

We are dealing with China and I am cautious. However the product and the project are outstanding and they need it going forward.

All IMO