At a time of unprecedented disruption in global graphite markets, with new US tariffs fundamentally altering supply chain dynamics, the latest testwork on graphite from natural rutile and graphite miner Sovereign Metals’ Kasiya rutile-graphite project in Malawi has delivered successful results.  

The testwork focused on optimising the coating process for conversion of Kasiya-derived spherical purified graphite (SPG) to coated spherical purified graphite (CSPG) while maintaining premium performance. The results will assist with ongoing offtake discussions with anode manufacturers. Sovereign is developing Kasiya to potentially become the world’s largest and lowest-cost natural graphite producer outside of China.

Once developed, Kasiya has the potential to become the world’s largest and lowest-cost natural flake graphite producer, offering battery manufacturers a strategic alternative to Chinese supply chains for anode material feedstock. The latest successful coating testwork is a further demonstration of Kasiya’s increasing strategic importance.

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Pitch coating is a standard refinement process where carbon-rich pitch material is applied to spherical graphite particles to create protective layers that enhance battery performance and longevity, turning SPG into CSPG. The latest testwork systematically evaluated pitch content to achieve optimal performance parameters.

MD and CEO Frank Eagar comments: “Kasiya remains a primary rutile project, but our ability to also produce exceptional CSPG with world-class performance characteristics from our natural graphite concentrate is a further demonstration of the geopolitically strategic nature of Kasiya. These new US tariffs on Chinese graphite highlight the urgent need for reliable, high-quality alternatives. Kasiya’s resource scale, long life, potentially lowest-cost non-Chinese producer, combined with our demonstrated technical excellence, position us perfectly to serve battery manufacturers seeking secure supply chain diversification.”