Sarytogan Graphite has developed a premium ductile cast iron using its Micro80C graphite, produced via its Kazakhstan graphite project. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the firm’s innovation has opened doors to a high-volume, high-margin market segment.
The company has completed a series of successful trials of its state-of-the-art microcrystalline C graphite product, which was manufactured in Kazakhstan, and plans to make three product types. Micro80C will be used for traditional industrial uses, while the second product will be for lithium-ion battery anodes. The final product is intended for batteries and advanced industrial uses.
Micro80C expansion
The firm announced that it has big plans to place as many carbon units into as many markets as possible.
Micro80C has proven as a highly suitable carbon replacement for grey cast iron and has now been tested as suitable for the premium-priced ductile cast iron market.
Sean Gregory, the managing director of Sarytogan Graphite, said ‘This demonstration of high-performance in the application of ductile cast iron opens the spectre to achieve premium prices in the base load market. Furthermore, the recent announcement of investment in this application at the nearby giant Temirtau steel mill is perfect timing for our project and they become a high-priority target customer for us.’
The market for premium recarburisers is flourishing, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. The Quarmet State-owner Temirtau steel mill, which is one of the largest in the world with around 6 million tonnes per annum, received a Chinese investment of USD $161 million to produce ductile cast-iron pipes last year.
Gregory added, ‘The Micro80C product family is an important baseload for the Sarytogan Graphite project, both for the early implementation of stage 1a contemplated in the PFS and for the full build-out of the project. This demonstration of high performance in the application of ductile cast iron opens the spectre to achieve premium prices in the base load market. Furthermore, the recent announcement of investment in the application at the nearby giant Temirtau steel mill is perfect timing for our project and they become a high-priority target customer for us.'
The firm has the advantage of having its 229 million tonne flagship graphite deposit midway between two of the biggest markets in the world, China and Europe. The Sarytogan graphite deposit in the Karaganda region of Central Kazakhstan grades at a whopping 28.9% total graphite carbon and is only 190km by road to the industrial city of Karaganda, the fourth-largest city in Kazakhstan.
Micro80C and cast iron qualities
Sarytogan demonstrated that the Micro80C graphite is highly suitable to be used as a carbon replacement product for the manufacture of grey cast iron.
Cast iron is an iron ally with 2.14% to 6.67% carbon and 1% to 3% silicon. Graphite used for grey cast-iron testing in Kazakhstan usually trades at US$650–700 per tonne (A$1040–1120/t).
Carbon replacements are essential in pig-iron production, as unwanted contaminants like phosphorus and sulfur are burned off during processing. This process also depletes carbon, which must be precisely replenished to meet specific application requirements.
Sarytogan’s Micro80C graphite has proven ideal for this purpose, as its flake-crystallized structure enhances the hardness and brittleness of cast iron.
Due to its low melting point, great fluidity, and ability to be easily cast, cast iron is highly versatile. It is also simple to machine while being tough against wear, tear and resistant to deformation.
Cast iron is used in a variety of everyday applications such as manhole covers, storm grates, and park benches. It also appears in mechanical appliances in machinery and car parts, such as cylinder heads, engine blocks, and gearbox cases.
The firm says that its ductile cast iron made from Micro80C graphite, assimilates 92% of the added material to create an alloy composition of 2.8% carbon and 1.5% silicon with low impurities.
The new material meets local Kazakh standards as well as equivalent standards in the United States, United Kingdom, and Japan.
History of ductile iron
Ductile iron was developed in the mid-28th century. The more modern alloy is created by adding a small amount of magnesium to molten iron, which causes the graphite to form in nodules rather than flakes. This quality gives the material the ability to bend without breaking.
Ductile iron is well-known for its formidable strength, toughness, and durability and is more resistant to cracking under stress. It is often used in high-strength and ductility applications, such as pipes, automotive parts, and machinery.
The alloy is more corrosion-resistant than its cast iron relative, making it a better choice for outdoor applications.
Historically, this form of iron has been made more expensive than cast iron, due to its more complex chemical composition.
Future plans
Sarytogan currently has a 20-tone trial mining sample undergoing milling tests. Once completed, a 1t sample of the milled ore will be transported to Australia to produce a flotation concentrate, before it will be sent to the US for purification. Eventually, the firm will ready hundreds of kilograms of product samples for machine testing, customer trials, and validation as a recarburiser.
After this, Sarytogan will concentrate on placing as many carbon units into as many markets as possible with its high-grade mineral resource, making it one for market punters to watch.
Source: www.smh.com.au
