Focus Graphite Inc. (TSX-V:FMS) (OTCQX:FCSMF) (FSE:FKC) is
pleased to announce the introduction of a Superfine Grade of coated
spherical graphite product sourced from its Lac Knife Graphite
Project at Fermont, Quebec.
The Company’s manufacturing accomplishment was
achieved under the direction of Dr. Joseph Doninger, Focus’
Director of Manufacturing and Technology, and follows the Company’s
original May 27, 2014 announcement of the development of its
premium standard (medium) and fine battery grades, and; its
subsequent August 8, 2016 announcement of the successful
purification of Lac Knife’s fine grade material to 99.99% purity
which is shown in the following Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
photomicrograph of a flake of purified Lac Knife graphite.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available
at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/19dd47dc-41c8-4ce1-b62a-2db97d76a1ae
Focus Graphite’s new Superfine Grade graphite product
development was first presented to the 34th International Battery
Symposium (IBS) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, by Dr. Doninger on
March 21, 2017.
Highlights include:
- Market introduction of Focus’ first Superfine coated spherical
graphite
- Enlarges Company’s potential customer base
- Expands Focus Graphite’s value-added product range
Focus Graphite’s development and introduction of
a Superfine Grade to the battery market represents a milestone in
the Company’s ongoing efforts to continuously improve its products
to meet industry demands and are intended for use in various
lithium-ion battery applications. The first cycle
Galvanostatic curves in Figure 1 show that the new Superfine Grade
of spherical graphite has a very high reversible capacity of 360
mAh/g and low first cycle loss of only 1.19%.
An infographic accompanying this
announcement is available
at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/16fab8d7-641a-4f69-8050-dd479b12f773
Dr. Doninger said the main benefit of the
Superfine Grade is based upon the physical reality of the
graphite’s performance within the anode of a lithium ion
battery.
“As the particle size decreases, so does the
time it takes for the lithium-ion to transfer into the graphite
structure during charging and out during discharging, thereby
improving charging rates,” he said. An SEM photomicrograph of
the Superfine Grade of the Lac Knife spherical graphite is shown
below.
A photo accompanying this announcement is
available
at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/494ef0f5-0b43-44e9-8593-6728e2c7b8b9
The particle size distribution curves for the
new Superfine Grade of spherical graphite are compared with the
Standard and Fine Grade curves in Fig. 2 and show that Focus now
offers a wide range of particle sizes to meet the demands of the
battery industry.
An infographic accompanying this announcement
is available
at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/42ef4124-58ad-4c16-9245-89b15aa59222
Dr. Doninger noted that the high Reversible
Capacity of 360 mAh/g, low Irreversible Capacity Loss of 1.19% and
low surface area of 0.89 m2/g for the new Superfine Grade of
spherical graphite compare very favorably with the Lac Knife’s
Standard and Fine grades introduced in 2014 as shown in Table
1.
A table accompanying this announcement is
available
at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8a5bd647-8eb4-4700-9f9e-5893dce130f9
The Company knows of no other junior graphite
developer today with a deposit capable of competitively converting
their fine flake component to battery grade production.
Focus Graphite President and Chief Executive
Officer Gary Economo said the Company’s ongoing R&D and
materials testing aims to position Focus as a commercially
competitive and important source of new graphite products for next
generation energy storage and production.
Focus is currently engaged in battery testing
with more than 20 potential end-users and seven universities and
government laboratories.
“The key to growth of our value-added products
stems from our technology vision of investing in those in-house
process developments that meet future demands of the battery
manufacturing industry,” Mr. Economo said.
“In this regard, and as evidenced by the
periodic publications of data in support of our progress, Focus
remains committed to achieving its long-held goal of unlocking
shareholder value from that technology vision,” Mr. Economo
said.
As a technology graphite developer, Focus is
deeply engaged in R&D and development of graphite concentrate
and value added products for a low carbon economy.
Focus has established a recent history of
technological successes by designing processes leading to superior
performing coated spherical graphite for use in battery anodes and
high performing expanded graphite for use in Li-Ion battery
cathodes.
The Company’s proprietary, low temperature
process, developed by a Focus Graphite technical team headed by Dr.
Doninger, is believed to be more efficient than very high
temperature thermal purification and is suitable for the removal of
specific types of impurities found in the Lac Knife graphite
deposit.
Focus' low temperature process versus
conventional very high temperature purification processes obviates
the use of large amounts of energy - one of the largest single cost
components of graphite purification.
Focus Graphite has acquired an intimate
understanding of both the future needs of the battery manufacturing
sector and trends in that sector as a long-standing Board Member of
Chicago-based NAATBatt International (the National Alliance for
Advanced Transportation Batteries).
Holding the ability to purify Lac Knife's fine
flakes expands the company's potential to sell substantially more
of the graphite extracted from Lac Knife into high-value, high-tech
applications instead of approximately 30 percent being sold for
lower value industrial applications.
The path from graphite product development to
the battery manufacturers' testing labs is a lengthy, multi-step
process.
Staged R&D testing is a prerequisite to the
sale, or offtake, of any manufactured graphite for use in
lithium-ion, alkaline and lead-acid batteries in the automobile,
consumer, medical equipment, tools, hand-held industrial devices
and aviation manufacturing industries or with military equipment
suppliers.
Qualified Person
Dr. Joseph Doninger, Focus Graphite's Director
of Technology and Manufacturing is the Qualified Person under
National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral
Projects - and has reviewed and approved the technical content of
this news release. Dr. Doninger is an internationally recognized
graphite processing expert and himself, the inventor of a number of
patents and an author of over 27 technical papers and presentations
related to graphite processing and the use of graphite in energy
storage systems. Dr. Doninger is a co-editor on the NATO Science
Series book titled "New Carbon Based Materials for Electrochemical
Energy Storage Systems." Dr. Doninger is also an Honorary Professor
at the Department of Chemistry from the Kiev National University of
Technologies and Design.
About Focus Graphite
Focus Graphite Inc. is an advanced exploration
and mining company with an objective of producing graphite
concentrate at its wholly-owned Lac Knife flake graphite deposit
located 27 km south of Fermont, Québec. In a second stage, to meet
Quebec stakeholder interests of transformation within the province
and to add shareholder value, Focus is evaluating the feasibility
of producing value added graphite products including battery-grade
spherical graphite. Focus Graphite is a technology-oriented
graphite mining development company with a vision for building
long-term, sustainable shareholder value. Focus also holds a
significant equity position in graphene applications developer
Grafoid Inc.
For more information about Focus Graphite,
please visit www.focusgraphite.com.
Forward Looking Statement
This News Release contains "forward-looking
information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation.
All information contained herein that is not clearly historical in
nature may constitute forward-looking information. Generally, such
forward-looking information can be identified by the use of
forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not
expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates",
"forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or
"believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that
certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might"
or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking
information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties
and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of
activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be
materially different from those expressed or implied by such
forward-looking information, including but not limited to: (i)
volatile stock price; (ii) the general global markets and economic
conditions; (iii) the possibility of write-downs and impairments;
(iv) the risk associated with exploration, development and
operations of mineral deposits; (v) the risk associated with
establishing title to mineral properties and assets; (vi) the risks
associated with entering into joint ventures; (vii) fluctuations in
commodity prices; (viii) the risks associated with uninsurable
risks arising during the course of exploration, development and
production; (ix) competition faced by the Company in securing
experienced personnel and financing; (x) access to adequate
infrastructure to support mining, processing, development and
exploration activities; (xi) the risks associated with changes in
the mining regulatory regime governing the Company; (xii) the risks
associated with the various environmental regulations the Company
is subject to; (xiii) risks related to regulatory and permitting
delays; (xiv) risks related to potential conflicts of interest;
(xv) the reliance on key personnel; (xvi) liquidity risks; and
(xvii) the risk of potential dilution through the issue of common
shares.
Forward-looking information is based on
assumptions management believes to be reasonable at the time such
statements are made, including but not limited to, continued
exploration activities, no material adverse change in metal prices,
exploration and development plans proceeding in accordance with
plans and such plans achieving their stated expected outcomes,
receipt of required regulatory approvals, and such other
assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has
attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those contained in the
forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause
results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can
be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to
be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ
materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking
information. Such forward-looking information has been provided for
the purpose of assisting investors in understanding the Company's
business, operations and exploration plans and may not be
appropriate for other purposes. Accordingly, readers should not
place undue reliance on forward-looking information.
Forward-looking information is made as of the date of this News
Release, and the Company does not undertake to update such
forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable
securities laws.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its
Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the
policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for
the accuracy of this release.
CONTACT:
Focus Graphite Inc.Mr. Gary EconomoChief Executive Officer+1
613-241-4040geconomo@focusgraphite.comwww.focusgraphite.com
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