April 1, 2024
Lomiko Announces Excellent Results From the La Loutre Graphite Single-Layer Phase 2 Pouch Cell Battery Testing and Suitability as Battery Anode Material and Company Update on Bourier. Lomiko Metals Inc. (TSX.V: LMR) (“Lomiko Metals” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce it has successfully completed Phase 2 of the single-layer pouch cell battery testing of its La Loutre graphite material with Polaris Battery Labs, LLC (“Polaris”). In Phase 1, Polaris completed half-cell coin battery testing, confirming good material electrochemical performance metrics compared to industry standards. (please see press release dated January 10, 2024.) In Phase 2, cathode and prepared anode were combined into a single-layer pouch cell format to undergo electrochemical testing to demonstrate technical performance as a full rechargeable battery. Note that the single-layer pouch cells provide a format that is similar to those used in industry while not requiring large amounts of active material. The coated spherical graphite material (eSPG) provided for the originated from coated purified samples generated by the Corem Innovation Centre in Quebec, Canada. These samples were micronized and spheronized by ProGraphite in Germany. The samples are deemed representative of the La Loutre deposit. The single-layer pouch cells constructed with our graphite anode and standard cathode material demonstrated that our graphite performs well under basic test conditions: cSPG16 and cSPG20 samples from La Loutre reveal strong performance of the La Loutre cSPG with better discharging capacity compared to commercial graphite in North America today. Both samples were put through a brief life cycle analysis for 25 cycles at C/2 and performed well. Please see highlights of the study below. What about we co-host a webinar? Let’s educate, captivate, and convert the battery economy! Batteries News is the global go-to online magazine for the battery industry, we can help you host impactful webinars that become a global reference on your topic and are an evergreen source of leads. Click here to request more details Concurrent with these studies, Lomiko is also working on the “NRC Study” announced on July 27, 2023, which aims to advance pre-feasibility level battery trials with its La Loutre natural flake graphite concentrate. Belinda Labatte, CEO and Interim Chair of the Board, stated: With the growing number of OEMs focused on lithium-ion batteries, graphite material testing needs to resemble real-life usage conditions. “Lomiko has completed a number of metallurgical and electrochemical performance tests and will continue this process with National Research Council in 2024 and 2025. The Polaris studies, now concluded, confirm the electrochemical performance results are suitable for graphite anode materials and battery manufacturing. Lomiko has now successfully demonstrated the full value chain from ore to battery anode material on samples from the La Loutre project. “The importance of natural flake graphite supply was once again delineated with the Biden Administration announcement on March 20, 2024: by 2032, more than half the new cars sold in the United States would likely be zero-emissions vehicles in order for carmakers to meet the new standards for tailpipe pollution reduction. These zero-emission vehicles today require approximately 100 kg of graphite per vehicle.” Polaris Single Layer Pouch Cell Study Pictures of the pouch cells made with Lomiko cSPG are shown pictured in Figure 1. In Phase 2, Polaris constructed single-layer cells using the coated graphite materials paired with a cathode source. NCM111 was selected for this analysis. Preliminary cycling results indicate consistent performance with internal standard references, showing a relative capacity fade rate over 25 cycles at C/2 of less than 0.1% per cycle. Initial cycling data suggests consistent performance with internal baseline performance metrics for an NCM111 cathode in a single-layer cell using commercially available natural graphite as the anode material. Figure 2 shows a plot of an internal performance reference for an NCM111 vs. natural graphite single-layer cell in comparison to the single-layer cell using graphite batch SPG16. C/20 and C/10 data represent a boost in performance of ~1.5%, ~2.4% at C/5, and ~3.3% at C/2 versus the commercial reference. Further, SPG16 single-layer cells also demonstrate a lower degree of capacity loss at C-rate switches and more steady capacity at C-rate versus the commercial reference. As observed in Figure 3, initial cycling data indicates consistent performance versus a commercial reference. In conclusion, both SPG16 and SPG20 perform well as compared to commercial graphite reference material for charge and discharge capacities, first cycle loss coulombic efficiency, and gravimetric capacity. With these electrochemical performance results produced by Polaris, Lomiko has now successfully demonstrated the full value chain from ore to battery anode material on samples from the La Loutre project. Bourier Property Lomiko announces that in connection with its previously announced amended option agreement (the “Option Agreement”) with Critical Elements Lithium Corporation (“CELC”) on the Bourier project (see news release dated January 25, 2022 for more details) and the successful earn in of 49% announced on December 20, 2023, and amendment of the terms of the second option under the Option Agreement (the “Second Option”), that it will not proceed with the exercise of the second option. The Company believes that further value creation may occur as development of lithium assets in the proximity of Bourier are developed. The Bourier project site is located near Nemaska Lithium and Critical Elements south-east of the Eeyou Istchee James Bay territory in Quebec, which consists of 203 claims for a total ground position of 10,252.20 hectares (102.52 km2). Qualified Persons – La Loutre Graphite 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 reviewed, approved and verified the technical information disclosed in this news release, including sampling, analytical and test data underlying the technical information. READ the latest Batteries News shaping the battery market Lomiko Announces Excellent Results From the La Loutre Graphite Single-Layer Phase 2 Pouch Cell Battery Testing and Suitability as Battery Anode Material and Company Update on Bourier. source Business Development