Green Critical Minerals scales up VHD graphite production to support global push

• Green Critical Minerals begins manufacturing VHD graphite blocks 
• The company has sent first-time shipments to North America and is progressing its Korean market strategy 
• It has also appointed a new General Manager – Commercial as it to builds out its team

Special Report: Green Critical Minerals is ramping up production and sustaining high product quality, with its VHD production plant now in operational full swing. 

Following the commissioning of Module 1 at the VHD production plant, Green Critical Minerals (ASX:GCM) has moved into the manufacturing of VHD blocks of various shapes and sizes. 

VHD blocks are a high-performance graphite material developed by GCM and characterised by thermal and electrical properties achieved through a production process that’s faster and more cost effective than traditional methods. 

These blocks are designed for various applications requiring efficient heat management, including data centres, semiconductors and advanced electronics. 

Blocks up to 60×100×60 mm have been successfully produced, with larger blocks – up to 160 mm thick and 200 mm long – now in progress, demonstrating improved process maturity and alignment with customer specs. 

In preparation of commercial sampling and prototyping, GCM has started building a diverse inventory of sample stocks with first-time sample shipments to prospective customers in North America. 

A variety of product sizes and geometries are being manufactured, with blocks tailored for thermal management applications including heat sinks and cold plates. 

Production capacity has also been further strengthened through the addition of two new furnaces, increasing throughput.

The company is continuing to progress its Korean market entry, with introduction of GCM and the VHD technology to potential customers initiated.

 Initial feedback has been positive and resulted in initial face-to-face customer meetings planned for Q3 CY 2025.

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In this instalment of the Explorers Podcast, Barry FitzGerald speaks with Green Critical Minerals managing director and CEO Clint Booth about the company’s push to integrate its Kimberley graphite project with cutting-edge thermal management tech for the AI and data centre markets.

GCM enhances operations with updated systems 

In addition to these upgrades, GCM has introduced improved systems for warehousing, raw materials and inventory management, logistics, and quality control.

These improvements are designed to support a smooth production ramp-up and ensure consistent product quality at scale. 

The company is also progressing towards ISO 9001 Quality Management System certification, with accreditation targeted for Q4 2025.

In support of these advancements, the company has continued to grow its team with the appointment of Tony Allen as general manager – commercial to support the build-out of its capabilities across production, supply chain and customer management.  

‘Active commercial execution’

GCM managing director Clinton Booth said with the VHD production plant now operational, the company is shifting from initial rollout into active commercial execution, focused on fulfilling demand, scaling output and maintaining quality. 

“Importantly, we’re not creating a solution for a future market, we’re delivering high-performance thermal products into an existing, high-demand sector that is actively searching for better, more cost-effective materials,” he said. 

“What sets us apart is our ability to move now. Our multi-channel distribution strategy, which includes partnerships with online retailers, means we’re not waiting for major orders to begin selling, we can expedite access to a global market fast. 

“At the same time, our collaborations with data centre providers like GreenSquareDC and our Korean market entry are positioning us for large-scale opportunities in the near future, and we’re preparing our supply chain accordingly,” Booth added. 

What’s next? 

Discussions are currently underway to establish a university and industry linkage partnership focused on validating and promoting the superior thermal performance of VHD materials.

This is intended to support collaborative R&D and generate independent data that highlights the advantages of VHD graphite in advanced thermal applications applicable to the high-performance computing and AI/data centre server sectors.

It is envisaged the program will target the development of both computational models and physical prototypes to demonstrate VHD’s performance benefits to key end users, including microchip manufacturers, data centre rack integrators, and data centre operators.

This article was developed in collaboration with Green Critical Minerals, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing. 

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.