Ardiden Limited (ASX:ADV) has recorded graphite grades up to...

Ardiden Limited (ASX:ADV) has recorded graphite grades up to 13.6% in a ground sampling exercise over outcropping material at its Manitouwadge jumbo flake project in Canada.

The program, which followed priority electromagnetic (EM) conductors, found graphite grades in excess of 10% within the existing Thomas Lake Road prospect (11.4%) and two previously unexplored zones known as Silver Star (11.8% graphite) and Silver Birch (13.6%)

Drilling of these priority areas is planned for the current quarter, with the total strike length of EM conductors with graphite prospectivity totalling 19.3 kilometres.

Drilling at Manitouwadge earlier this year confirmed the continuity of surface graphite at depth, with 9.7 metres grading 2.42% graphitic carbon (CG) form 34.7 metres, including 4.7 metres at 4.06% CG from 34.7 metres.

Another hole in the same drill program returned 6.7 metres at 2.41% CG form 29 metres.

Importantly, previous metallurgical testing on graphite at Manitouwadge indicated a premium product with jumbo and large flake graphite distribution of up to 80%.

Metallurgical testwork has confirmed that the jumbo flake graphite at Manitouwadge is amenable to low-cost flotation and gravity beneficiation with grades of 95.6% returned. The beneficiated product can be further purified to more than 99.95%.

Star Silver, in particular, is expected to host the large graphite flake sizes which yield significantly higher prices per tonne than medium and fine flake graphite.
 
Such products are used in the fast growth lithium battery, electric vehicle and energy storage industries.