VANCOUVER, BC , Nov. 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - South Star Battery Metals Corp. ("South Star" or the "Company") (TSXV: STS) (OTCQB: STSBF), along with its technological partner in the United States ("US Lab"1), are pleased to announce the successful final life cycle testing results for over 100 cycles (charging and discharging) in CR2016 LiB coin cells constructed with anode material (coated spherical purified graphite – "SPG") produced from the Santa Cruz Graphite Project. In separate test work, a highly conductive dispersion was also tested that exceeds current industry standards for conductive coating applications in both energy storage and advanced purity dry film lubrication markets.
South Star's cycle testing program is complete and exceeded 100 cycles for the LiB cells. One cycle consists of 10 hours of charge and 10 hours of discharge, therefore 100 cycles equal approximately 2,000 hours total. The tests indicate very stable results with approximately 2.2% degradation through 100+ cycles while maintaining reversible capacity on the order of 342 – 345 mAh/g throughout. If these results were projected out, approximately 900 cycles could be achieved before reaching the 20% industry standard cutoff. These results are generally competitive with synthetic graphite and indicates that the Santa Cruz's battery anode material are excellent quality material that are suitable for a variety of LiB applications including EV markets. Upcoming work includes sample preparation of various downstream products so that the qualification process can begin along with processing flowsheet optimizations and performance validation. (Refer to September 22, 2021 press release for results from initial 75 cycles).
In addition, South Star has successfully completed the production and testing of high purity graphite and premium quality electrically conductive dispersions for a variety of applications including the alkaline battery markets. The Santa Cruz material utilized was harvested from the purified graphite rejects from the spheronization process and confirmed that purified flake graphite from the Santa Cruz project is significantly more conductive than industry-leading material currently in use. With the alkaline battery market producing over 12 billion batteries annually and a global market value in excess of US$7.5B in 2020, this application could potentially develop into a key market for South Star.
"We continue to announce stellar value add testing results that prove the premium quality nature of the deposit while advancing towards production in 2022," commented Richard Pearce , President and CEO of South Star. "The final cycle testing with anode materials produced from Santa Cruz concentrates resulted in fantastic performance that approximates the characteristics of synthetic graphite for a broad range of battery applications. In addition, the development of such high-quality conductive dispersions and coatings opens additional value-added markets for our premium graphite. Our material outperformed the leading commercial synthetic graphite products by a considerable margin. Every single alkaline battery manufactured requires graphite, and it is a huge new potential market because of the quality of our concentrates. Premium coatings for alkaline battery cans are currently priced up to $30,000 per tonne. These are excellent outcomes for our program and continue to prove that Santa Cruz can provide a broad array of premium products and bring real value with natural flake graphite to a diversified group of sectors and clients. We have a bright future ahead of us."
Santa Cruz Product Information Bulletins (PIBs) with technical information for the portfolio of products, safety data sheets (SDSs) and marketing materials have been prepared and are being distributed to our existing partners and potential clients. 100-200g samples of a variety of value-add products including micronized and purified graphite, expanded & expandable graphite, dispersions, as well as coated and uncoated SPG are being produced and will be made available for qualification testing.
1 The United States laboratory ("US Lab") specializes in advanced graphite materials and value-add testing for battery and non-battery applications. The US Lab company name has not been published for the purposes of preserving a commercial advantage of South Star Battery Metals in the marketplace.
Lithium-Ion Battery Life Cycle Test Results
Purified graphite was successfully micronized using an advanced pilot scale mechanical milling system outfitted with two air classification circuits. Once the target sizing geometries were achieved, uncoated SPG was produced by rolling and rounding the micronized graphite into elliptical spheres in a specialized mill. The elliptical shapes are a preferred morphology for higher packing density active loadings in battery electrodes. They are also preferred due to better rate capacities, safer and generally longer-life LiBs. Uncoated SPG was coated with a nanolayer of soft carbon and heat treated under a blanket of inert gas. The hardened coating provides a layer of protection from exfoliation and general degradation during the normal expansion and contraction cycles associated with charging and discharging. The coating also reduces ongoing reactions of electrolytes with the graphitic carbon, which results in a reduced battery life (See June 29th, 2021 press release for more details).
Next, a copper foil was coated with the anode slurry using the drawdown technique, and the electrode was dried under vacuum and weighed. Finally, the anode was welded to the bottom can of a stainless-steel standard CR2016 coin cell. Three identical coin cells were produced, and testing includes the following: reversible capacity, irreversible capacity, irreversible capacity loss and long-term cycling stability as a function of the elapsed number of charge/discharge cycles.
As shown in Figure 1, other notable positive properties of Santa Cruz anode material are that their reversible capacities are at approximately 342-345 mAh/g through 100 cycles, which is a degradation of 2.2 percent. Assuming the current degradation rate remains constant, Santa Cruz graphite could potentially exceed 900 cycles prior to performance cut-off and provide a viable alternative for the EV sector to synthetic graphite, which has significantly higher costs, higher environmental footprint and is a product derived from petroleum.
Figure 2 presents the results for Cell 3 through cycles 25, 50, 75, 100 and 115 and confirm that the cells maintain excellent electrochemical performance throughout the current testing confirming the robust nature of the Santa Cruz natural crystalline flake characteristics as anode material for lithium-ion batteries.
Figure 2: Cell 3 Cycles 25, 50, 75, 100 & 115 Testing Results
The objective of this phase of testing was to formulate a high-performance, premium-purity graphite-based conductive coating product for the alkaline energy storage market using purified Santa Cruz flake graphite. The electrically conductive coatings require high conductivity, thermal and chemical stability in the presence of corrosive electrolyte (37 wt% KOH), ultra-high purity (99.9+ wt% C) and high crystalline flake structure.
During previous test work, South Star successfully produced purified spherical graphite with a yield of approximately 74% (Refer to news release dated June 29, 2021 ). The remaining 26% of the SPG process byproducts retained their ultra-high purity level (99.9993%) and were homogenized into a composite powder blend with a laser diffraction measured mean particle size of 13.81 um with a broad size range of 0.972 to 104.6 um. This material was then added to a mixing tank equipped with a dispersion blade. Water and surfactants were added to breakdown agglomerates to further reduce the mean particle size to 9.36 um.
US Lab's proprietary wet mill was utilized to achieve further particle size reduction and incorporated a specialized media that allows continued size reduction without cross contamination of the end product with components of the media. The final dispersion had a purity of 99.98+ wt.%C and a mean value of 4.0 um with a D10 = 1.018 um, D50 = 3.55 um and D90 = 8.01 um. The full particle size distribution measured by laser diffraction is shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3. Particle size distribution (laser diffraction by Microtrac S3500) of the wet milled Santa Cruz graphite, having purity of 99.98+ wt.%C.
The fine particle dispersion was mixed with a polyacrylate co-polymer resistant to alkaline battery chemistry to produce an alkaline battery can coating meeting current industry standards. Additional water and solvent based polymer binders can be used in future formulations to meet a variety of coating specifications used in lithium primary, lithium-ion batteries, fuel cells and supercapacitors. The final wet Quality Control specifications for the South Star Alkaline Can Coating had the following properties:
30 minutes at 115oC (vacuum oven)
A thin coat of the final dispersion was applied to a glass substrate and allowed to dry. The key property of these dried coatings is electrical resistivity in ohm-inches measured by a 2T probe (using a Fluke ohm-meter) on the glass substrate with 1 inch between probes. The South Star graphite dispersion measured electrical resistivity of 20 ohm-inches which is significantly below current industry standards of <30 ohm-inches.
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 Q4 2022, pending financing. 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.
On behalf of the Board,
Mr. Richard Pearce Chief Executive Officer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/southstarbm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southstarbatterymetals LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/southstarbatterymetals/ YouTube: South Star Battery Metals - YouTube
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.
The information contained herein 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 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.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/south-star-battery-metals-announces-successful-lib-results-from-completed-cycle-testing-and-premium-dispersion-products-for-alkaline-battery-markets-superior-to-leading-synthetic-graphites-301431458.html
SOURCE South Star Battery Metals Corp.
Micron Technology's (NASDAQ: MU) stock price surged after the company's fiscal 2022 first-quarter results were released on Dec. 20, showing that its revenue, earnings, and guidance exceeded Wall Street's expectations. Micron's revenue shot up 33% year over year in Q1 to $7.69 billion, while its earnings jumped to $2.16 per share from $0.78 per share in the year-ago period. One of the reasons behind Micron's impressive growth last quarter was the jump in the company's revenue from the mobile business.
The need of a robust charging infrastructure to support the growth of electric vehicles (EVs) is undisputed. What isn't as clear is which players will be instrumental in developing this infrastructure and, more importantly, whether can they do this profitably. Let's discuss which of the two top EV charging stocks, ChargePoint (NYSE: CHPT) and Blink Charging (NASDAQ: BLNK), is a better buy right now.
Alibaba (NYSE: BABA), one of the bellwethers of China's tech sector, lost roughly 50% of its market value over the past year as Chinese antitrust regulators probed and fined its e-commerce business. The regulators also imposed new restrictions on Alibaba's exclusive partnerships with merchants, promotional pricing strategies, data collection methods, and investments. The decelerating growth of Alibaba's e-commerce business in the first half of fiscal 2022, which is expected to worsen throughout the rest of the year, indicated those restrictions were taking their toll.
Novavax's Covid-19 vaccine has been granted emergency use authorization in India, another win for the Gaithersburg biotech as it continues to work toward submitting for authorization in the U.S. The Drugs Controller of India granted the authorization to Novavax (NASDAQ: NVAX) and the Serum Institute of India, which will manufacture the vaccine, to be branded Covovax there. The two-dose vaccine uses what’s called recombinant nanoparticle technology in its vaccine, making it different from messenger RNA and viral-vector vaccines, and can be shipped and stored at standard refrigeration temperatures, unlike some other vaccines on the market which need to be kept at much lower temperatures.
Yahoo Finance Live hosts Julie Hyman and Brian Sozzi examine Tesla CEO Elon Musk selling off an additional $1 billion in company stock, in addition to tracking the EV developer's growth over the past five years.
Question: I’m now 39, and in a better place in my life than I was roughly 10 years ago, when I decided to take out over $100,000 in student loans to attend a food policy and nutrition master’s program. The program was the only master’s program I got into, and I didn’t care what the cost was — I didn’t even look at what I was signing. The loan payments are too expensive, even though I’m now a nutrition and public health consultant who works on a contractual basis, and I make a good salary — $110,000 a year.
Losing money in the S&P 500 is never fun. But it stings all the more when everyone else is making tons on their stocks.
The EV maker's "Nio Day" revealed several potentially important pieces of news, but major problems remain.
Nio (NYSE: NIO) has managed to make a place for itself in the domestic Chinese market. Nio has grown significantly in the seven years since its founding in November 2014. Nio's year-to-date deliveries through Nov. 30 rose 120.4% year over year.
Most readers would already be aware that Pop Culture Group's (NASDAQ:CPOP) stock increased significantly by 41% over...
Upstart was volatile in 2021, but does it have the ability to return to its all-time highs next year?
This company's market value plunged by around $8 billion in 2021, leading contrarian investors to suspect a bargain opportunity.
China's ride-hailing giant Didi Global plans to use a mechanism that will allow it to list shares in Hong Kong without raising capital or issuing new stock as it seeks to delist from New York, two people with knowledge of the matter said. The plans come as Didi is moving towards withdrawing from the New York Stock Exchange under pressure from Beijing after running foul of Chinese authorities by pushing ahead with an initial public offering (IPO) there earlier this year despite being asked to put it on hold while a review of its data practices was conducted. The Hong Kong mechanism, known as 'listing by introduction', would allow owners of Didi U.S. shares to transfer them to the city's bourse gradually, said the people.
Cathie Wood's investments haven't impressed this year. But she's confident in her strategy, which includes these top growth stocks.
The chipmaker is facing a few headwinds going into the new year, but investors need to focus on the bigger picture.
With attacks by hackers on the rise, this pair of cybersecurity stocks stand out as long-term winners.
Required minimum distributions (RMDs) are a part of life for 401(k) and IRA account holders once they hit age 72, but there are ways to limit them.
Although there were several bullish attempts through 2021,fuboTV Inc. (NYSE: FUBO) is ending the year on a low note. Even though the media sector underperformed the broad market, FUBO dropped over 40% - remaining far from profitability and under heavy pressure from the shorts.
If you want to leave some stocks to your heirs, then you'll want to find companies like these that are poised to thrive for decades to come.
It's no secret that I believe movie theater chain AMC Entertainment (NYSE: AMC) is the most overvalued stock on Wall Street. For those of you who may not have followed the AMC "made for TV drama" that's occurred this year, the company's shares are up more than 1,200% following an epic short squeeze earlier this year. Short-sellers (investors betting on a security's price to decline) were caught off-guard when AMC was able to save itself from imminent bankruptcy by selling 164 million shares of stock and issuing high-interest debt.