It may not be the sexiest of mined products, but graphite has its place in the world of manufacturing. Because experts say, it is a solid material, it is known as a dry lubricant. This is useful in applications where "wet" lubricants, such as oil, cannot be used.
Furthermore, graphite is the only non-metal element that is a good conductor of electricity. So any new development among graphite discoveries merits attention.
So it was Tuesday when Ottawa-based Northern Graphite Corporation (TSX-Venture: NGC) filed the final patent application for its proprietary natural graphite purification technology. The patent relates to the use of chlorine in a specially constructed fluidized bed reactor that was designed by Hatch Inc.
Northern has signed an exclusive licensing agreement to use Hatch's intellectual property in the design, construction and operation of the reactor, which is a key component of Northern's purification technology.
As the electric vehicle and grid storage markets expand, the demand for Lithium Ion Battery anode material will grow exponentially and it is critical that the west develop an alternative to current graphite purification processes.
The shares sang a merry tune as the clock approached noon ET Tuesday, something of a day of reckoning for markets, NGC climbing 2.5 cents, or 16.1%, to 18 cents, on volume of 63,000 shares
