Lincoln Minerals chief executive officer Jonathon Trewartha said: “As an experienced mining project developer, it is clear to me that with a Mining Lease already approved and developing such high grades at the front end of the production schedule, means that Lincoln is likely to be able to generate attractive returns, even at low graphite prices.”

The main source of graphite demand in recent years has been through the development of a booming electric vehicle (EV) market. The metal is incorporated into the electrodes of lithium-ion batteries to increase electrical conductivity.

Now regarded as a critical metal, the western world is increasingly looking for material it can source outside of China, which controls 77 per cent of global production.

Intriguingly, a recent 20 per cent pricing premium for material sourced from outside of China has developed. Experts believe it is set to continue and that could provide Lincoln with further encouragement to get going as soon as possible.

Lincoln is in a remarkable position to be able to capitalise on the burgeoning demand for graphite as it moves forward with fast-tracking its plans. If successful, it will win the race to become Australia’s first modern producer of graphite from the KGP, with further plans for future expansion.

The company has revealed clear intentions to be shovel-ready as soon as possible and appears to be pushing hard to win first-mover advantage to produce a graphite concentrate that can be directly utilised downstream –particularly for the growing EV market.

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