South Star Battery Metals Announces Successful Production of LiB Battery-Grade Anode Materials and Positive Initial Cycle Testing Results for the Santa Cruz Graphite Project
VANCOUVER, Aug. 30, 2021 - 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.
