KEY POINTS
- Kasiya graphite test work confirms battery-grade quality.
- The Kasiya project aims to fill China’s supply gap.
- US tariffs drive demand for CSPG alternatives.
As the US tightens restrictions on graphite imports from China, natural rutile and graphite developer Sovereign Metals is positioning itself as a strategic player in the global battery supply chain.
Recent test work at its flagship Kasiya rutile-graphite project in Malawi has yielded strong results, particularly in the coating process that converts natural spherical purified graphite (SPG) into coated spherical purified graphite (CSPG), a key material for lithium-ion battery anodes.
Kasiya graphite test delivers strong performance
The study optimized the pitch coating process, a standard industry step that enhances battery durability and charge efficiency. The outcome: Kasiya-derived CSPG matches premium-grade battery requirements, giving Sovereign a stronger foothold in offtake negotiations with anode manufacturers.
The pitch coating, which applies a protective carbon-rich layer to graphite particles, was adjusted for optimal composition. Sovereign says the results validate the technical strength of its graphite and underline the project’s commercial relevance.
Kasiya’s graphite output offers China an alternative
While Kasiya remains primarily a rutile play, Sovereign is doubling down on its graphite potential, especially in the wake of new US tariffs that have disrupted Chinese dominance in the graphite trade.
“Kasiya remains a rutile-first project,” said MD and CEO Frank Eagar, “but our ability to deliver exceptional CSPG performance from our graphite makes us a strategic outlier. With the US pivoting from Chinese graphite, we’re stepping into a major opportunity.”
Moreover, Eagar added that Kasiya’s resource scale, long mine life, and lower production cost profile outside of China make it an ideal candidate to feed the battery market’s growing demand for alternative sources.
Graphite supply shift boosts Kasiya’s prospects
The company is banking on Kasiya’s dual-resource potential to serve both the titanium and energy materials markets. Sovereign is leveraging the geopolitical tailwinds to push Kasiya as a world-class graphite supplier, one that not only competes on cost but also on location, reliability, and quality.
With increasing investor interest in secure, diversified supply chains, the successful CSPG test results could mark a turning point for the project’s graphite credentials.
