Tanzania discovers high grade graphite
A South African mining investment company Armadale Capital has said that drilling campaign at the Mahenge Liandu graphite project conducted this year has demonstrated consistent, commercially viable, highgrade graphite mineralisation of up to 15.7per cent total graphitic carbon (TGC) commencing from or near the surface.
The discovery is a result of recent drilling, which is expected to be completed in three to four weeks. According to the information published in South African media, the company’s chairman, Mr William Frewen, said the preliminary discovery shows that there is high grade coarse flake graphite at the area.
“Timing wise, it could not be better for driving lithium-ion battery manufacturers to increase output at an accelerating a nascent natural graphite explorer. Surging global demand for electric vehicles and power storage utilities are directly rate,”
added that the full assay results mark the completion of an important milestone at Mahenge Liandu. He added that the global move away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy was progressing faster than initially anticipated.
“More encouraging is the prospect that the global uptake of renewable, particularly wind and solar, could outpace the International Energy Agency’s medium term 13 per cent annual forecast for 2015 to 2021.
These developments further reinforce the prospect of strong future demand for natural graphite from lithium-ion battery manufacturers, which will be Armadale’s primary target market,” he said.
Last week, the Acting Commissioner for Minerals in the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Mr Ally Samaje said the government is doing everything in its powers to boost mining sector by inviting new investors and enabling the existing investors to expand investments.
He said new mining companies are set to start production in near future. He mentioned the new companies as Uranex, Mantra Tanzania Limited that deals with uranium and expansion of graphite project at Epanko in Mahenge District.
Mr Semaje told the participants of the business forum that mining sector contributes 4 per cent to the GDP and that the government targets the sector to contribute at least 10 per cent by 2025.
