Graphite purification through mineral processing and aqueous processing routes

随着化石燃料汽车的减少，锂离子电池变得更加普遍，许多汽车制造商都在推动生产高能效的电动汽车。这将锂的生产推到了人们脑海中的前沿；然而，这些电池的另一个组成部分也同样至关重要。与其他候选材料相比，碳质材料具有更高的比电荷和更低的氧化还原电位，一直是锂离子二次电池负极最重要的方面。石墨是最常见的负极材料，因此不应被忽视。除了电池，石墨还用于刹车片、润滑剂、金属粉末、耐火材料和炼钢。这项合作研究与开发(CRD)资助计划旨在产生与从其矿石中处理石墨以及通过可持续的水处理路线进行提纯相关的新知识。它是与SRG石墨公司合作进行的，将在麦吉尔大学采矿和材料工程系进行。该项目将由克里斯蒂安·沃特斯教授和西德尼·奥梅隆教授领导，将包括矿物加工和水处理路线，以生产用于不同应用的高品位浓缩物，包括电池阳极。SRG Graphite将积极参与这一合作研究项目的各个方面，这将使加拿大公司处于这一不断增长的市场的前沿，并使对加拿大具有重要经济价值的矿产资源能够可持续发展。

With the reduction in vehicles powered by fossil fuels, lithium ion batteries have become more prevalent, with many automobile manufacturers pushing to produce highly efficient electric vehicles. This has pushed the production of lithium to the forefront of peoples' minds; however, another component of these batteries is just as vital. Carbonaceous materials have always been the most important aspect of the anode of rechargeable lithium ion batteries, because of their higher specific charges and lower redox potentials than other candidate materials. Graphite is the most common anode material, and as such should not be neglected. In addition to batteries, graphite is used in brake linings, lubricants, powdered metals, refractory applications, and steelmaking. This Collaborative Research and Development (CRD) Grant proposal aims at generating new knowledge related to processing of graphite from its ores, and the purification through sustainable aqueous processing routes. It is in collaboration with SRG Graphite, to be undertaken in the Department of Mining and Materials Engineering at McGill University. This project will be headed by Prof Kristian Waters and Prof Sidney Omelon, and will encompass mineral processing and aqueous processing routes to produce a high-grade concentrate to be used in different applications, including battery anodes. SRG Graphite will be active in all aspects of this collaborative research project, which will place Canadian companies at the forefront of this growing market, and enable the sustainable development of a mineral resource that has important economic value to Canada.