Projects

AUKAM

The Aukam Graphite Project is located in southern Namibia close to the port city of Luderitz. The property hosts five underground adits which were mined periodically between 1940 and 1974. Five surface stockpiles from the historical mining occurred on the property and 73 composite samples were taken from the lower three stockpiles, assayed and averaged 42% Carbon as graphite (Cg).

The Aukam property covers a historical vein graphite mine that consists of five adits and an open pit. Associated with the old workings are five surface stockpiles that still contain significant graphitic material. Data obtained over the past 8 years of the project has led to a better understanding of the quality and distribution of the graphite mineralization at Aukam. In particular, exploration has demonstrated significant potential for expansion of the mineralization outside the old workings.

April 28, 2017 Gratomic (previously CKR) announced that it had completed 28 diamond drill holes with a total length of 630 metres with individual holes varying in length from 3 metres to 45 metres. Of the 28 holes, 16 intersected vein and/or disseminated graphite and four were abandoned in old workings. Logging, core cutting and sampling are ongoing. Chip channel samples from three exposed graphite veins in the underground workings assayed 18.34% Cg over 0.9 metres (0.85m true width), 41.98% Cg over 0.84 metres (0.83m true width) and 56.06% Cg over 1 metre (true width unknown) from the south wall of a stope (see News Release dated July 12, 2016). The company has since conducted over 2000 meters of exploratory driling. View full technical report below.

This exploration has led to the awarding of Mining Licence (ML 215) by the Ministry of Mines and Energy in Namibia. The Licence covers Base and Rare Metals, Industrial Minerals and Precious Metals. The Licence area falls within the proximity of the Aukam Processing Plant and the Graphite bearing shear zone for a total of 5002 hectares (5002 ha). Securing the mining licence is a critical step towards moving the Aukam Mine into commercial production.

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AUKAM GRAPHITE PROJECT

Located in Namibia, Africa, this historic mine brought prosperity to the Karas region in previous decades. Its first operational phase began in 1940 and it remained in production for 16 years, ceasing operations in 1956. The second phase of activity began in 1964 and the mine remained active unit 1974. The Aukam Graphite Project is currently in preparation for phase three of its life, with commercial production anticipated to commence 2022. Phase three will allow the mine to realize its full potential with an estimated 20,000 tonnes per annum of high purity, vein graphite production.

AUKAM PROCESSING FACILITY

Gratomic Inc. possesses a unique advantage in its visionary leadership team. This innovative and dynamic team approaches business and mining with a fresh perspective and passionate involvement in all aspects of the company. The Aukam Graphite Project proudly hosts a state-of-the-art custom designed production facility, which is currently in its commissioning and calibration phase. Eco-friendly and sustainable, the custom-built plant is designed for expansion and with the environment in mind. The facility has been tailored for water conservation, boasting an estimated 95% recovery rate during the graphite processing phase.

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EV BATTERY SUPPLY

Gratomic is an advanced materials company focused on low-cost mine to market commercialization of carbon-neutral, eco-friendly, high purity vein graphite and is set to become a key player in EV and Renewable Resource supply chains. Gratomic Inc. is a leader among peers, anticipating full operational capabilities in 2022. The Company is in the process of solidifying its development plans for micronization and spheronization of its clean Aukam graphite. This significant milestone is a small, additional step in the Company’s existing Eco-friendly processing cycle , which will allow its naturally high-purity graphite to meet ideal battery grade standards for use in Li-ion battery anodes.

TYPES OF NATURAL GRAPHITE

types of nautral graphite

Three graphite stockpiles, lumps, fines and coarse fines, resulting from bulk sampling and screening programs undertaken by Gratomic are stored at Aukam and ready to be processed. Assays of samples of the coarse fines ranged between 9.83% and 15.52% Cg, and averaged 13.06% Cg. Samples of fines ranged between 8.06% and 53.03% Cg and averaged 17.92% Cg and samples of lumps ranged between 16.90% and 61.06% Cg and averaged 46.92% Cg.

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PROPERTY

The Aukam Graphite Project is located in southern Namibia close to the port city of Luderitz. The property is comprised of Exclusive Prospecting Licenses (EPL) 8746 (pending ECC) that cover an area of 54,695 hectares (546 square kilometers) in the Karas region of southern Namibia. There is year-round road access to the Aukam project from paved Highway B4 that runs between Luderitz and Keetmanshoop via district gravel roads south from the Highway. The infrastructure in the area is good with nearby power from the national grid, water from underground aquifers and a rail link to Luderitz and Keetmanshoop adjacent to Highway B4 approximately 70 km north of the project.

HISTORICAL MINING

The property hosts five underground adits which were mined periodically between 1940 and 1974.

In addition to the underground workings on the property, there are five surface stockpiles that remain from the historical mine-site. These stockpiles still contain significant graphite and assays of samples taken during detailed sampling on a 10m x 10m grid ranged between 3.98 and 57.07% Cg (carbon as graphite) and averaged 20.04% Cg.

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INFRASTRUCTURE

  • Luderitz Harbour – 500m cargo &
    Container quay
    Paved Highway
    Rail Line
    1.5 hr from Atlantic Ocean Shoreline
    Karas Region
    *Map Courtesy of Google Maps

TECHNICAL REPORT

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AUKAM GRAPHITE MINE GALLERY

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BUCKINGHAM

The Buckingham Graphite property covers 480 hectares in eight claim blocks and is located 7 kilometres northwest of Buckingham, Quebec, Canada. Gravel roads lead directly to the property and bush roads provide access to the interior.

The Buckingham property is located within the Central Metasedimentary Belt of the Grenville Geologic Province. It is underlain by paragneiss and marble, with associated pegmatite, and amphibolite. Graphite mineralization occurs in two main zones, the Case Zone and the Uncle Zone where it is disseminated in paragneiss and marble as well as in veins and masses within pegmatite and skarn.

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“Highlights of a recent drilling and trenching program showed 15.0% Cg over eight metres in Trench 2, 7.35% Cg over 12 metres in hole CK17-01, and 6.06% Cg over 88 metres from nine metres that included a higher-grade interval of 20.69% Cg over 8 metres in hole CK17-02.”

AIRBORNE SURVEY

An electromagnetic conductor, identified during an airborne survey in 2016, is coincident with the Case Zone. The conductor stretches over 1.54 kilometres in a northeast-southwest direction and suggests that the Case Zone may be up to 600 metres longer than previously thought.

TRENCHING

Follow up trenching of the conductor along the Case Zone identified graphite mineralization in paragneiss and marble. Highlights of the trench sampling include 8.33% Cg (Carbon as graphite) over 11.3 metres, 2.76% Cg over 15 metres, 2.23% Cg over 27 metres and 1.52% Cg over 65.5 metres.

BUCKINGHAM DRILL RESULTS

Results from the diamond drilling program at its 100% owned Buckingham graphite project in Quebec. Results have now been received from all six holes, with assays up to 16.64% Cg (carbon as graphite) over 18 metres in drill hole CK18-07.

Highlights of the results received to date include a grade of 6.88% Cg over 62 metres in hole CK18-07, that included 12.75% Cg over 29 metres and included a higher grade 16.64% Cg interval over 18 metres, starting at a depth of 57 metres. A grade of 4.94% Cg was intersected over 66 metres in Hole CK18-09 from six metres, that included higher grade near surface intervals of 14.52% Cg over four metres and 13.52% Cg over three metres. A summary of the results is given in the table below.

drill resluts

Widths are not necessarily true widths as there is currently insufficient information to calculate true widths.

Location and orientation of drillholes

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UTM Coordinates: NAD83, Zone 18N

The drilling follows up on positive results of previous work including airborne electromagnetics, trenching and a first stage drill program undertaken during 2016 and 2017. Hole CK-18-06 was drilled to the northwest to test the thickest portion of the 1.54 kilometre long northeast-southwest trending electromagnetic (EM) conductor and intersected low grade graphite mineralization associated with carbonate horizons in quartzo-feldspatic gneiss. Hole CK 18-07 was drilled to the southeast through the conductor between trenches 5 and 6 from the 2017 program. The hole intersected three graphite zones between 30 and 146 metres, with the highest grades associated with marble zones within gneiss. Hole CK18-08 was collared approximately 50m north of hole CK18-06 and drilled to the southeast. It intersected two graphite zones from 46 to 63 metres and from 95 to 108 metres with higher grades again associated with marble horizons. Hole CK18-09 was drilled to the northwest across a narrowing of the EM anomaly and intersected three graphite zones between 6 metres and 157 metres. Graphite mineralization in the near surface zone is associated with intervals of marble within the gneiss. Holes CK18-10 and CK18-11 were drilled across conductors in the vicinity of trench 2 and trench 10, respectively. Both holes showed relatively narrow intervals of graphite associated with marble.

 

All samples were placed in a plastic sample bag along with a sample tag. Bags were sealed with a single use tie. Samples were securely stored prior to shipping to SGS in Lakefield Ontario. Samples were crushed, milled and roasted and treated by HCl leach prior to being assayed by the combustion infrared technique (LECO). The Company routinely submits standards, duplicates and blanks with sample batches to monitor the quality of the assays.

 

The technical content of this News Release was reviewed and approved by Roger Moss Ph.D., P.Geo, a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

Capim Grosso

Results for the initial sampling and subsequent trenching programs from Capim Grosso have been returned from SGS Geosol in Minas Gerais, Brazil ranging between 3.87 to 41.79% Cg. These samples, retrieved by Nico Scholtz, the Company’s QP, have confirmed that the Capim Grosso project is highly prospective for large scale High-Grade graphite mineralization.

Capim Grosso is situated at the center east portion of the Bahia province, 280km from the port of Salvador, at the province capital, and 166km from Feira de Santana, the  province’s second largest city. Grid power and water are available throughout the city, including the rural areas, and paved roads connect it to the capital and surrounding cities. Different choices of hotels and restaurants are available in town.

Gratomic’s Capim Grosso Graphite Project comprises mineral claim 870.180/2012, covering a surface area of 426.03 Ha, owned by Zumbi Mineração Brazil, a whole owned subsidiary of Gratomic, Inc.

Grab samples were obtained by the Company’s QP in July 2021, and analyzed by SGS Geosol laboratories in Minas Gerais province, Brazil, showing TGC grades as high as 21%, as per table below:

*Map Courtesy of Google Maps

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Subsequently, the Company performed two trenching campaigns, in August and October 2021, with the excavation of 42 trenches on site varying in length from approximately 30 to 145 meters and from 1 to 6 meters in depth. 31 of the 42 trenches intersected graphite mineralization and an extent of 4 km of mineralized strike length has been confirmed. Trench samples were again sent to SGS Geosol, with results as high as 41% TGC.  The aim of these trenching programs was to thoroughly define drill targets. On the 22nd of November, the Company commenced a 5000m Diamond Drilling program with the intent of delivering a preliminary resource on the Capim Grosso Graphite Project.  

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ASSET EXPLORATION

14 samples analyzed
Between 3.8 and 18% TGC, average 11%
2 trenching programs, in August and October 2021:42 trenches varying in length from 30 to 145 meters and from 1 to 6 meters in depth, along 4km of mineralization
31 intersections, between 5 and 41% TGC, average 14.82%
Company’s QP has confirmed that the project is highly prospective for large scale High-Grade graphite mineralization
Targets defined for Diamond Drilling
5,000m diamond drilling program started in November 2021:241m drilled in 2021, balance expected to be completed in Q1 2022
Once the drilling data is available, the Company intends to retain a qualified person to prepare an initial NI 43-101 resource estimate

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METALLURGY

  • SGS Lakefield (ON, Canada) has been commissioned to perform metallurgical tests
  • Preliminary results from trenched material show combined concentrate grade of 97% C(t) with a projected closed-circuit graphite recovery of 85-90%
  • The metallurgical results obtained to-date are encouraging to support the plan for large scale processing
  • New tests with the drill core samples will be performed, in order to optimize engineering plans for the flotation circuit and factor in the requirements to process the material at depth
Trenching results
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BRIDGING THE GAP

“Gratomic has always been a forward-thinking company, intent on establishing itself as a multinational graphite company.  The addition of the Capim Grosso graphite project solidifies this goal and secures the company’s ability to one day be a significant contributor in bridging the ever-increasing gap between graphite supply and demand,” says Arno Brand President & CEO.

CAPIM GROSSO GRAPHITE

Upon receiving grab sample results, the Company commenced two trenching programs in August and October 2021. These two trenching programs included the excavation of 42 trenches on site varying in length from approximately 30 to 145 meters and from 1 to 6 meters in depth. These trenches were excavated in areas where grab sample results were positive, or where surface graphite was observed. 31 of the 42 trenches intersected graphite mineralization and an extent of 4 km of mineralized strike length has been confirmed.

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Charging socket on a blue electrically powered vehicle

EV BATTERY SUPPLY

Gratomic is an advanced materials company focused on low-cost mine to market commercialization of carbon-neutral, eco-friendly, high purity vein graphite and is set to become a key player in EV and Renewable Resource supply chains. Gratomic Inc. is a leader among peers, anticipating full operational capabilities in 2022. The Company is in the process of solidifying its development plans for micronization and spheronization of its clean graphite. This significant milestone is a small, additional step in the Company’s existing Eco-friendly processing cycle , which will allow its naturally high-purity graphite to meet ideal battery grade standards for use in Li-ion battery anodes.

TYPES OF NATURAL GRAPHITE

types of nautral graphite