VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 30, 2021 /CNW/ - South Star Battery Metals
Corp. ("South Star" or the "Company") (TSXV:
STS) (OTCQB: STSBF), along with its technological partner in
the United States ("US
Lab"1), are pleased to announce successful initial life
cycle testing results for the first 35 cycles (charging &
discharging) in CR2016 LiB coin cells constructed with anode
material (coated spherical purified graphite) produced from the
Santa Cruz Graphite Project. Several battery cells were constructed
as part of the ongoing optimization and testing program, and all
the cells have an extremely flat discharge pattern without
noticeable degradation over the initial testing period.
One cycle consists of 10 hours of charge and 10 hours of
discharge, therefore 35 cycles equals approximately 700 hours
total. South Star's testing program continues and will include
a minimum of 100 cycles for each of the LiB cells. Upcoming work
also includes downstream processing flowsheet optimizations and
validation.
"We are pleased to continue announcing robust battery testing
results and advancing to production in 2022," commented
Richard Pearce, President and CEO of
South Star. "We have produced several types of battery-grade
spherical, purified graphites (SPG) with ultra-high purity of
99.99w% Cg and excellent workability with average
particle sizes ranging from 8 to 23 microns. The cycle testing with
anodes produced using Santa Cruz
graphite in CR2016 LiB batteries has proven to be very stable with
little degradation throughout the initial 35 cycles.
We are positioning South Star for long-term success by creating
a diversified portfolio of high-quality products that will provide
excellent value for a broad range of industrial and high value-add
industries that are in high demand across the globe and in sectors
with above-average growth potential. These are very exciting times
for us as we continue our conversations with potential clients in
electric vehicles, energy storage, portable electronics, telecom
and specialty application sectors. We look forward to reporting
additional results from our on-going testing program."
Santa Cruz Product Information Bulletins (PIBs) with technical
information for the portfolio of products, safety data sheets
(SDSs) and marketing materials are being prepared and will be added
to the website shortly, as well as distributed to our existing
partners and potential clients. Samples of value-add products
including micronized & purified graphite, expanded &
expandable graphite, as well are as coated and uncoated SPG will
also be produced and available for testing.
H.C. Wainwright 23rd Annual Global Investment
Conference Participation
On September 13-15, 2021, South
Star Battery Metals' President and CEO Richard Pearce will be hosting virtual
one-on-one meetings and presenting at the H.C. Wainwright
23rd Annual Global Investment Conference. Learn more
here: https://hcwevents.com/annualconference/
1
|
The United States
laboratory ("US Lab") specializes in advanced graphite materials
and value-add testing for battery and non-battery applications. The
US Lab company name has not been published for the purposes of
preserving a commercial advantage of South Star Battery Metals in
the marketplace.
|
Life Cycle Test Results
Purified graphite was successfully micronized using advanced
pilot scale mechanical milling system outfitted with two air
classification circuits. Once the target sizing geometries were
achieved, uncoated SPG was produced by rolling and rounding the
micronized graphite into elliptical spheres in a specialized
mill. The elliptical shapes are a preferred morphology for
higher density active loadings in batteries. They are also
preferred due to better rate capacities, safer and generally
longer-life LiBs. Uncoated SPG was coated with a nanolayer of
soft carbon and heat treated under a blanket of inert gas. The
hardened coating provides a layer of protection from exfoliation
and general degradation during the normal expansion and contraction
cycles associated with charging and discharging. The coating also
reduces ongoing reactions of electrolytes with the graphitic
carbon, which results in a reduced battery life (See June 29th, 2021 press release for
more details).
Next a copper foil was coated with the anode slurry using the
drawdown technique, and the electrode was dried under vacuum and
weighed. Finally, the anode was welded to the bottom can of a
stainless-steel standard CR2016 coin cell. Three identical coin
cells were produced, and testing includes the following: reversible
capacity, irreversible capacity, irreversible capacity loss and
long-term cycling stability as a function of spherical graphite
particles.
Figure 1: CR2016 LiB Battery Construction
Figure 2: Santa Cruz LiB Battery Results Through
Approximately 35 Cycles
As shown in Figures 2 & 3, other notable positive properties
of Santa Cruz anode material are
that their reversible capacities are at approximately 350 mAh/g,
and they have an irreversible capacity loss on the first cycle of
less than 10%.
Figure 3: Santa Cruz Irreversible Capacity Loss
Results
About South Star Battery Metals Corp.
South Star Battery Metals Corp. is Canadian battery metals
project developer focused on the selective acquisition and
development of near-term production projects in the Americas. South
Star's Santa Cruz Graphite Project, located in Southern Bahia,
Brazilis the first of a series of industrial and battery metals
projects that will be put into production. Brazil is the second-largest
graphite-producing region in the world with more than 80 years of
continuous mining. Santa Cruz has
at-surface mineralization in friable materials, and successful
large-scale pilot-plant testing (>30t) has been completed. The
results of the testing show that approximately 65% of Cg
concentrate is +80 mesh with good recoveries and 95-99% Cg. With
excellent infrastructure and logistics, South Star is carrying its
development plan towards Phase 1 production projected in Q4 2022,
pending financing. South Star trades on the TSX Venture Exchange
under the symbol STS, and on the OTCQB under the symbol STSBF.
South Star is committed to a corporate culture, project
execution plan and safe operations that embrace the highest
standards of ESG principles based on transparency, stakeholder
engagement, ongoing education and stewardship. To learn more,
please visit the Company website at
http://www.southstarbatterymetals.com.
This news release has been reviewed and approved by Richard
Pearce, P.E., a "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101
and President and CEO of South Star Battery Metals.
On behalf of the Board,
Mr. Richard Pearce
Chief Executive Officer
For additional information, please contact:
CHF Capital Markets (IR Canada)
Iryna Zheliasko,
Manager
Phone: +1 416-868-1079 x229
Email: iryna@chfir.com
RBMG – RB Milestone Group LLC (IR US)
Trevor Brucato, Managing Director
Email: southstar@rbmilestone.com
Mr. Dave McMillan
Chairman
Email: davemc@telus.net
Twitter: https://twitter.com/southstarbm
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/southstarbatterymetals
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/southstarbatterymetals/
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of
this press release.
This news release and the Updated Technical Report contain
references to inferred resources. The Report is preliminary in
nature and includes inferred mineral resources that are considered
too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations
applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral
reserves.
Forward-Looking Information
The information contained herein contains "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of applicable securities
legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that
is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results,
and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that
express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections,
objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not
statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking
statements".
Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks
and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to
differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements,
including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain
adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks
related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and
regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks
related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks
related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential
for delays in exploration or development activities or the
completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of
profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the
interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity
of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of
production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected
costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility
studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development
or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's
expectations; risks related to commodity price fluctuations; and
other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects,
properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's
disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and
uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove
incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described
in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against
attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These
forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the
Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to
reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could
differ materially from the Company's expectations or
projections.
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SOURCE South Star Mining Corp.