South Star Battery Metals Corp. (TSXV: STS, OTCQB: STSBF) has announced the substantial completion and commissioning of the Santa Cruz Phase 1 Graphite Mine in Brazil.

Santa Cruz Mine Nears Production

The prestrip, preliminary dump foundations, and ramps are complete, with around 50,000 tonnes of ore placed on the ore pad for commissioning and initial operations by end of August. The following plant areas are substantially complete, and commissioning is underway: primary and secondary crushing circuit, flotation/grinding/screening plant, tailings thickener and filter press facilities, and concentrate dewatering, drying, screening, and bagging systems.

Equipment Commissioning and Power Connection

Internal power distribution, laboratory, support services, and other installations are ready for operations. The mainline powerline is nearly complete, with COELBA scheduling the installation of the energy meter and final connection to the grid. Commissioning is expected to take about 6-7 weeks.

Commercial Production and Initial Orders

The Santa Cruz Phase 1 plant, with a nameplate capacity of approximately 12,000 tpy of natural flake graphite concentrates, is set to start commercial production in September 2024. South Star plans to fulfill initial purchase orders in Q4 2024.

CEO’s Statement

Richard Pearce, President and CEO of South Star, commented, “We are pleased to have achieved this milestone. Our team is delivering on our promise to be the first new graphite production in the Americas since 1996.”

Future Plans

South Star aims to produce high-quality graphite concentrates for various industrial applications and sectors. The Company is also advancing its product-development programs for battery-graphite products, including CSPG for lithium-ion batteries, with commercial sales expected in Q4 2026.

About South Star Battery Metals Corp.

South Star Battery Metals Corp. is a Canadian battery-metals project developer focused on near-term production projects in the Americas. The Santa Cruz Graphite Project in Bahia, Brazil is the first of several projects, with Phase 2 production planned for 2026 and Phase 3 in 2028. South Star’s second project in Alabama will include a vertically integrated production facility upgrading graphite concentrates from both mines.

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