South Star Battery Metals Announces Small-Scale Pilot Metallurgical Testing Program for Alabama Graphite Project

Rhea-AI Summary

South Star Battery Metals Corp. (TSXV: STS, OTCQB: STSBF) announced a contract with North Carolina State University Mineral Research Laboratory to conduct a metallurgical testing program on ore samples from its Ceylon Graphite Project in Alabama. The program aims to confirm processing methods and produce a representative sample for further analysis. Testing will generate approximately 15kg of graphite concentrates and is expected to start in July 2022, lasting around 16 weeks. Positive results may lead to scaling operations at the Santa Cruz plant.

Positive

• Contract with NC State University for metallurgical testing to confirm processing methods.
• Potential generation of 15kg graphite concentrates for testing.
• Plans to send 30-40 tonnes of ore to Santa Cruz plant for further testing if results are favorable.

Negative

• None.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- South Star Battery Metals Corp. (“South Star” or the “Company”) (TSXV: STS) (OTCQB: STSBF), is pleased to announce that it has contracted North Carolina State University Mineral Research Laboratory (“MRL”) to complete a metallurgical testing program using 3 x 1-tonne samples of ore from various targets within the Ceylon Graphite Project (“Project”) in Coosa County, Alabama. The goal of the program is to create a representative 1 tonne ore sample to retest and confirm processing methods and reagents from previous process work. The small-scale pilot test will also generate approximately 15kg of concentrates (> 94% Cg) as well as intermediate products and tailings samples for future geotechnical, chemical, and physical testing programs to better characterize the ore, the tailings as well as final concentrates. The concentrates will then be used to test for a variety of value-add products as well as minerology, similar to the testing program completed on Santa Cruz Graphite concentrates (See March 1, 2021 press release). The metallurgical testing is expected to begin in July of 2022 and be completed in approximately 16 weeks.

Richard Pearce, President & CEO commented, “We are very excited to get started on our work program in Alabama and generate some concentrate samples we can test for industrial and value add applications including a variety battery precursor material.   Intermediate products as well as ROM and tailings samples will also be collected to help characterize the materials for future environmental and civil design work. MRL has an excellent facility nearby, and our team is excited to be working with their talented professionals. It’s a great resource to have so close to the Project. If the results of this program confirm the previous test work, we will be looking to send 30 to 40 tonnes of ore to our soon to be constructed Santa Cruz plant and run through a full scale pilot plant test. We will work hard with our partners to make the Project the second new graphite mine in the Americas brought online and the first in the United States.”

SCOPE OF WORK - SMALL-SCALE PILOT METALLURGICAL TESTING PROGRAM

• Mix and prepare representative 1-tonne ROM sample including drying & crushing;
• Construction of pilot-plant circuit with rod mill and traditional froth flotation;
• Process testing to produce rougher concentrate samples;
• Sample preparation of rougher concentrates;
• Upgrading of rougher samples to produce high-grade (>94% Cg) graphite concentrates;
• Concentrates will be collected, dried and bagged for future value-add, physical and minerology testing programs;
• Rougher concentrates will be collected, dried and bagged for future physical and minerology testing programs;
• Suspended tailings samples will be collected and stored in barrels to test for future geotechnical, chemical, and physical testing programs; and
• ROM ore samples will be collected and prepared for future geotechnical, chemical, and physical testing programs.
  
  

ABOUT SOUTH STAR BATTERY METALS CORP

South Star Battery Metals Corp. is a 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, Brazil is 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 Q2 2023.

South Star’s next project in the development pipeline is a project in Alabama located in the middle of a developing electric vehicle, aerospace and defence hub in the southeastern United States. The Project is a historic mine active during World Wars I & II. Trenching, sampling, analysis and preliminary metallurgic testing has been completed. The testing indicated a traditional crush/grind/flotation concentration circuit achieved grades of approximately 96-97% with approximately 86% recoveries. and South Star is executing on its plan to create a multi-asset, diversified battery metals company with near-term operations in strategic jurisdictions. 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 Corp.

On behalf of the Board,

Mr. Richard Pearce
Chief Executive Officer

For additional information, please contact:

South Star Investor Relations (Canada IR)
Email: invest@southstarbatterymetals.com

RBMG – RB Milestone Group LLC (IR US)
Trevor Brucato, Managing Director
Email: southstar@rbmilestone.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/southstarbm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southstarbatterymetals
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/southstarbatterymetals/
YouTube: South Star Battery Metals - YouTube

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

This press release 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 in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: moving Santa Cruz into production and scaling operations as well as advancing the Alabama project; how the obligations under the Agreement will be further guaranteed and secured; and the Company’s plans and expectations.

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.

 

FAQ

What is the purpose of South Star's metallurgical testing program?

The metallurgical testing program aims to confirm processing methods and generate a representative sample of graphite ore from the Ceylon Graphite Project.

When will South Star's metallurgical testing begin?

The metallurgical testing is expected to begin in July 2022 and will take approximately 16 weeks to complete.

What will happen if the metallurgical testing is successful?

If successful, South Star plans to send 30-40 tonnes of ore to the Santa Cruz plant for full-scale pilot testing.

What is the significance of the Ceylon Graphite Project for South Star?

The Ceylon Graphite Project is part of South Star's strategy to develop battery metals projects, potentially making it the first new graphite mine in the U.S.