Lomiko LA Loutre Metallurgical Testing Produces Concentrate Grading 97.8% Carbon and 93.5% Graphite Recovery
#439 - 7184 120th Street, Surrey, B.C. V3W 0M6
LOMIKO LA LOUTRE METALLURGICAL TESTING PRODUCES CONCENTRATE GRADING
97.8% CARBON AND 93.5% GRAPHITE RECOVERY
(Montreal, Quebec) April 7, 2021 - Lomiko Metals Inc. (TSX-V: LMR, OTC: LMRMF, FSE: DH8C)
(Lomiko or the “Company”) is pleased to provide an update on its La Loutre graphite project (“La
Loutre”), located in Quebec, Canada . La Loutre comprises the Graphene -Battery (GB) zone and
the Electric Vehicle (EV) Zone. The names of the zones are not reflective of the products each
will produce but generally indicate applications of products. The recen t testwork program
confirmed that each zone will produce similar products.
Highlights
• A metallurgical flowsheet developm ent program was carried out on two composite
samples of La Loutre graphite project . One composite was generated from mineralized
samples from the EV zone yielding 9.70% graphitic carbon , and the second composite
from drill core of the GB zone yielding 4.80% graphitic carbon.
• The process development was carried out on both composites and resulted in a flowsheet
and conditions that are suitable to treat both zones of La Loutre mineralization in the
same processing plant.
• The program culminated in a locked cycle test (“LCT”) that generated a combined
concentrate grading 97.8% total carbon at 93.5% graphite recovery.
• Although the two mineralized zones produced noticeably different flake size distributions,
they responded equally well to the same flowsheet and conditions with combined
concentrate grades of over 97% total carbon.
“These very encouraging results of initial testing suggest that La Loutre graphite may be suitable
for high-end industrial use.”, stated A. Paul Gill, CEO, “Our next step is to complete a Preliminary
Economic Assessment.”
Technical Discussion
Process Development
In January 2021, a metallurgical process development program was initiated a t SGS Minerals in
Lakefield, Ontario. The objective of the program was to develop the flowsheet and conditions
suitable to upgrade La Loutre mineralization to at least 95% total carbon.
Metallurgical development work was carried out on two composites representing the two zones.
The process development program produced a flowsheet and conditions that generated
concentrates of over 97% total carbon for both mineralized zones. The equipment and reagents
selected for the process are well established in the mineral processing field and are consistent
#439 - 7184 120th Street, Surrey, B.C. V3W 0M6
with other graphite projects. The flowsheet , which is depicted in Figure 1, comprises
rougher/scavenger flotation stage, followed by a primary and secondary cleaning circuit.
The GB composite produced a final concentrate with a significantly higher mass recovery into the
+80 mesh size fraction of approximately 50% compared to 25-30% for the EV composite. However,
both composites responded equally well to the same flowsheet and condit ions, producing
combined concentrate grades that are consistently at least 97% C(t).
The program culminated in a locked cycle test (LCT) using a 50:50 blend of the two mineralized
zones. The overall mass balance is presented in Table 1. The mill feed grading 7.60% carbon was
upgraded to a combined concentrate grading 98.5% carbon at an overall graphite recovery of
93.5%.
6 x 2 kg of
-6 mesh Feed
Rougher
Flotation
Polishing Grind #1
Scavenger
FlotationPrimary Grind Scav
Tailings
-80 mesh
1st Clnr
-80 mesh
2nd Clnr
-80 mesh
1st Clnr
Tailings
-80 mesh
3rd Clnr
80 mesh
Screen
-80
mesh
1st Clnr
2nd Clnr
3rd Clnr
4th Clnr
-80 mesh Stirred
Media Mill
-80 mesh
3rd Clnr Conc
1st Clnr
Tails
Polishing Grind #2
+80 mesh 1st
Clnr
+80 mesh
2nd Clnr
+80 mesh
1st Clnr
Tailings
+80 mehs Stirred
Media Mill
+80 mesh 2nd Clnr
Conc
Combined
Tailings
Combined
Conc
+80
mesh
#439 - 7184 120th Street, Surrey, B.C. V3W 0M6
Table 1: Mass Balance of Locked Cycle Test LCT-1
The final concentrat es of the three cycles that were used to develop the overall mass balance
were submitted for a size fraction analysis (SFA), and the average results of the three SFAs are
presented in Table 2. The combined concentrate grade of 97.8% total carbon is slightly lower
compared to the direct concentrate analysis of the LCT mass balance, which is related to
measurement uncertainties associated with assay methods.
A total of 32.4% of the concentrate mass reported to the +80 mesh size fractions at a combined
grade of 97.8% total carbon. Another 10.8% of the mass was recovered into the -80/+100 mesh
product at a grade of 98.2% and the balance of 56.8% reported to the -100 mesh size fractions at
a combined grade 97.7% total carbon.
One of the primary applications for the -100 mesh size fraction is the value-add process to produce
spherical graphite for batteries. The ability to upgrade the fines size fraction to almost 98% total
carbon by flotation only might have a positive impact on downstream purification costs since
concentrations of impurities are often proportional to purification cost.
Table 2: Average Size Fraction Analysis Results of LCT-1
Weight Assa ys (%) % Di str.
% C(t) C(t)
Combined Concentrate 7.2 98.5 93.5
+80 mesh 2nd Clnr Conc 2.9 99.0 37.1
+80 mesh 1st Clnr Tails 0.1 34.9 0.3
-80 mesh 3rd Clnr Conc 4.4 98.1 56.4
-80 mesh 1st Clnr Tails 0.4 9.64 0.5
1st Clnr Tails 22.3 1.26 3.7
Scav Tails 69.9 0.21 1.9
Head (calc) 100.0 7.63 100.0
Sample ID
Ma ss Grade Distribution
Me sh µm % % Ct % Ct
32 500 1.0 97.6 1.0
48 300 9.8 97.4 9.7
80 180 21.6 98.0 21.7
100 150 10.8 98.2 10.9
150 106 17.5 98.1 17.5
200 75 13.0 98.3 13.1
325 45 13.5 98.1 13.6
Pan -45 12.8 96.0 12.5
Total 100.0 97.8 100.0
Size
#439 - 7184 120th Street, Surrey, B.C. V3W 0M6
Preliminary comminution tests produced Bond ball mill work indices of 6.9 kWh/t for the EV zone
and 11.2 kWh/t for the GB zone, which places La Loutre mineralization into the very soft to soft
category, which is favourable for minimizing grinding energy costs.
Next Steps
Variability flotation testing on four composites that made up the two development composites
will be performed to complete the scoping level metallurgical study.
The combined concentrate of the LCT will be subjected to chemical and mineralogical
characterization, which will determine the type and association of the remaining impurities in the
graphite concentrate. This information will be used to commence marketing initiatives for La
Loutre graphite concentrate.
The current process development program will be completed within the next couple of weeks ,
and the company commenced work on a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) study.
During the next phase of metallurgical testing, conditions of the existing flowsheet will be
optimized to minimize flake degradation and maximize graphite recovery. Further, the
optimization will evaluate potential capital and operating cost savings.
The robustness of the optimized flowsheet and conditions will be verified with a larger number of
variability samples, and a more comprehensive comminution program will be completed.
Qualified Persons
Mr. Oliver Peters, a Principal Metallurgist with Metpro Management Inc., is a Qualified Person
within the meaning of NI 43-101. Mr. Peters is satisfied that the analytical and testing procedures
used are standard industry operating procedures and methodologies, and he has revi ewed,
approved and verified the technical information disclosed in this news release, including sampling,
analytical and test data underlying the technical information.
Quebec’s Role in The New Green Economy
In 2020, The Quebec Government released the Quebec Plan for Development of Critical and
Strategic Minerals (“The Quebec Plan”) which indicates graphite demand would l ikely increase
300-500% in the coming decades as more is used in the production of spherical graphite for anode
portion of Electric Vehicle Lithium-ion batteries. Quebec has an opportunity to play a vital role in
reducing carbon emissions and become a key provider of critical battery materials to the North
American economy.
For more information on Lomiko Metals, review the website at www.lomiko.com , contact
A. Paul Gill at 604-729-5312 or email: [email protected].
#439 - 7184 120th Street, Surrey, B.C. V3W 0M6
On Behalf of the Board,
“A. Paul Gill”
Chief Executive Officer
We Seek Safe Harbour. Neither 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 adequacy
or accuracy of this release.