International Graphite’s Purification Partnership Hits 99.98% Battery-Grade Purity
International Graphite’s purification partnership delivers high-purity results across seven concentrate samples
International Graphite has reported successful purification testwork across seven graphite concentrate samples, with all exceeding the 99.9% TGC (Total Graphitic Carbon) target using ALKEEMIA’s hydrofluoric acid technology. The results validate the technical foundation of the 51:49 joint venture announced in March 2026, positioning the partnership to produce battery-grade and industrial graphite products at ALKEEMIA’s Porto Marghera facility in Venice.
Concentrates from the Springdale Graphite Project achieved 99.98% purity, matching the highest results from African and European feedstock sources. Hydrofluoric acid purification is the only commercially proven method used at scale globally, making these results critical to de-risking IG6’s European processing strategy. The testwork demonstrates that ALKEEMIA’s technology can process graphite concentrates of varying flake sizes from multiple mining operations, reducing supply chain concentration risk for the joint venture.
The companies are advancing site layouts and project design for the new processing hub, with commercial agreements progressing and negotiations underway with European graphite buyers. ALKEEMIA is targeting phased expansion from 200 t/y at start-up to 20,000 t/y by 2030.
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What is graphite purification and why does purity matter?
Natural graphite concentrates contain impurities that must be removed before the material can be used in high-value applications. Battery-grade graphite and industrial products require purity levels exceeding 99.9% TGC, with higher purity commanding premium pricing in expandable graphite and battery anode markets.
Hydrofluoric acid purification is the dominant commercial method globally. Unlike experimental or emerging technologies, HF processing is proven at industrial scale, with ALKEEMIA’s proprietary approach positioning the joint venture to produce materials that meet stringent customer specifications. Achieving consistent 99.9%+ purity across diverse feedstock sources is a commercial milestone, confirming that the technology can deliver the quality standards required by European battery manufacturers and industrial graphite buyers.
The testwork results also validate concentrates from the Springdale Project as a premium feedstock source. At 99.98% purity, Springdale material matches the best-performing African samples, supporting the company’s strategy to feed Australian-mined concentrates into European processing facilities.
Purification results across seven concentrate samples
The testwork covered concentrates from East African, European, and Springdale sources, demonstrating the flexibility of ALKEEMIA’s purification process across multiple flake sizes and geographic origins. All samples achieved purity levels suitable for expandable graphite and micronised graphite applications, with results ranging from 99.91% to 99.98% TGC.
| Sample Grade | Source | Potential Use | Purification Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| +894 | East Africa | Expandable graphite | 99.98% |
| +890 | East Africa | Expandable graphite | 99.98% |
| -185 | Europe | Micronised graphite | 99.96% |
| -194 | East Africa | Micronised graphite | 99.96% |
| -194 | Springdale | Micronised graphite | 99.98% |
| +897 | Europe | Expandable graphite | 99.93%, 99.91% |
| +895 | East Africa | Expandable graphite | 99.98% |
The diversity of feedstock sources strengthens the joint venture’s commercial resilience. By demonstrating that the purification technology works across African, European, and Australian concentrates, IG6 can source material from multiple suppliers rather than relying on a single mining operation. This multi-source approach improves supply chain metrics and provides flexibility to optimise feedstock costs as the processing facility scales.
Expandable graphite is used in fire retardants, sealing materials, and thermal management applications, while micronised graphite serves industries including lubricants, batteries, and conductive coatings. Achieving 99.9%+ purity across both product categories positions the joint venture to serve multiple end markets.
Joint venture development and production timeline
IG6 has been allocated up to 50% of ALKEEMIA’s 200 t/y Industrial Graphite Purification Plant start-up capacity. ALKEEMIA is targeting a phased expansion, with operations commencing in 2026 and scaling to 20,000 t/y by 2030. The companies are currently developing site layouts and confirming project design and cost estimates, with key commercial agreements progressing.
- 2026: Initial operations commence at 200 t/y purification plant
- IG6 allocated up to 50% of start-up capacity
- 2030: Target scale-up to 20,000 t/y purification capacity
IG6 is working with multiple graphite concentrate suppliers to secure feedstock supply for the joint venture. Advanced negotiations are in progress with a leading European graphite sales firm, establishing distribution channels for the purified products before production begins.
The joint venture structure provides IG6 with exposure to European processing capacity without bearing the full capital burden of constructing a standalone purification facility. ALKEEMIA’s existing Porto Marghera infrastructure includes reagent production, waste treatment, and regulatory approvals, reducing the timeline and capital required to reach commercial production.
About ALKEEMIA and the Porto Marghera facility
ALKEEMIA is one of Europe’s leading producers of hydrofluoric acid and fluoroderivatives, supplying critical materials to industrial sectors through its integrated production platform at Porto Marghera in Venice. The company has undertaken significant capital investment at the site, making it one of the most advanced hydrofluoric acid production platforms in the Western world.
The integrated chemical infrastructure provides secure reagent supply for graphite purification, eliminating the logistics and cost challenges associated with sourcing HF from third-party suppliers. ALKEEMIA’s proprietary technology positions the joint venture to produce high-value industrial graphite products and battery anode materials using proven, commercially scaled processes.
The Porto Marghera location also provides strategic advantages. The facility is positioned within Europe’s industrial chemicals hub, with established logistics networks and proximity to battery manufacturing and industrial graphite end-users. This reduces transport costs and delivery times compared to importing purified graphite from non-European sources.
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What this means for IG6’s investment case
The purification results validate three critical pillars of IG6’s European processing strategy. First, the technical capability has been proven: ALKEEMIA’s technology successfully purifies graphite concentrates from diverse sources to battery-grade and industrial specifications. Second, Springdale concentrates achieve premium purity levels at 99.98%, confirming the Australian asset as a high-quality feedstock source. Third, the European processing hub is progressing toward construction, with site layouts under development and commercial agreements advancing.
Onsite access to ALKEEMIA’s technology expands the potential product range the joint venture can deliver. Beyond standard purified graphite, the partnership can leverage ALKEEMIA’s chemical expertise to produce specialised products including expandable graphite, micronised graphite, and battery anode materials. This positions IG6 to capture higher margins than companies that sell raw concentrates without downstream processing capability.
The broader company structure integrates Australian mining assets (Springdale, Collie) with European processing facilities, creating a vertically integrated supply chain from mine to market. The 2026 operations commencement target aligns with growing European demand for locally processed battery materials, driven by supply chain security concerns and regulatory pressure to reduce reliance on non-European graphite sources.
Key takeaways:
- All seven samples exceeded 99.9% TGC target
- Springdale concentrates matched best-in-class results at 99.98%
- Multi-source feedstock capability reduces supply chain risk
- 2026 operations commencement on track
- Negotiations advancing with European graphite buyers
The announcement de-risks the European processing strategy by confirming that the technical, commercial, and strategic elements are progressing in parallel. Investors gain visibility on a clear pathway from testwork to commercial production, with defined capacity targets and timeline milestones.
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