13th Jun 2025 19:11
(Alliance News) - Blencowe Resources PLC on Friday provided an update on its participation in the European Union Gen3 battery initiative, Project SAFELOOP.
The London-based mineral explorer and developer's Orom-Cross Graphite Project in Uganda is the exclusive supplier of natural flake graphite for SAFELOOP.
The project is a three-year programme funded by the EU's EUR100 billion Project Horizon energy transition initiative.
It aims to develop a next generation lithium-ion battery to deliver "improved safety, sustainability and high performance while strengthening Europe's control over its critical mineral supply chains," Blencowe explains.
On Friday, Blencowe said technical milestones achieved between January and March include graphite purified to 99.98% carbon by weight using partner American Energy Technologies Co's Inverted Flow Sheet process.
"This grade is considered premium quality within the industry and opens further opportunities for sales into defence applications and other niche markets," Blencowe noted.
Further, AETC has manufactured a next-generation electric vehicle anode with over 68% natural flake graphite sourced solely from Orom-Cross.
American Energy Technologies has predominantly used Blencowe natural flake graphite instead of synthetic graphite to develop the anode.
"Blencowe's natural graphite, due to its qualities, is positioned to replace the synthetic and become an enabling technology which will see the natural graphite-dominant anode commercialized in the electric vehicle market," the company said.
Pilot plant batches of the EV anode have been submitted to SAFELOOP industrial partners for trialling and evaluation.
Blencowe says test results to date have "exceeded performance benchmarks in all aspects along the battery chain evolution".
"The strategic importance of Orom-Cross within SAFELOOP positions Blencowe to secure premium offtake demand directly into the EU from 2028 onwards - one of the few bulk quantity European sales routes that is available in the graphite sector," the company added.
Blencowe shares closed up 8.5% at 3.36p in London on Friday.
By Aidan Lane, Alliance News reporter
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