Campoona mining project approved to produce ultra-pure graphite for batteries

Archer Exploration has been granted approval for its Campoona graphite project, north of Cleve on the Eyre Peninsula.

Mineral Resources Minister Tom Koutsantonis made the announcement this morning at the South Australian Exploration and Mining Conference at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

The project will create about 60 jobs during construction and about 35 ongoing positions.

The proposed graphite project includes an open-cut mine and a mineral processing facility at nearby Sugarloaf to eventually produce up to 140,000 tonnes of graphite ore a year.

Archer expects some of the graphite concentrate produced at Campoona will be processed to create graphene, a higher-value product that can be used as a heat and electricity conductor.

Background

ASX-listed Archer Exploration applied for the mining lease and two miscellaneous purpose licences through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Pirie Resources.

The granting of the tenements follows the Government’s comprehensive assessment of that application. Archer is required to submit a detailed operating plan, known as a Program for Environment Protection and Rehabilitation (PEPR), that aligns with the lease conditions.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy Tom Koutsantonis

Campoona is a further example of South Australia’s growing role as a global supplier of a broad range of mineral products required by emerging technologies.

This project has the potential to create about 95 construction and ongoing jobs in regional South Australia and help to diversify the economy of the Eyre Peninsula.

An exciting aspect of this proposal is the capacity to locally produce high-value graphene, which is becoming a sought-after ingredient in emerging technologies such as solar cells.