Green Critical Minerals VHD pilot plant moves closer to commercialisation

All pilot plant equipment has been ordered with deliveries expected before the end of the year
Construction will begin in the first half of December 2024
Commissioning of the pilot plant will then take place during the second quarter of FY2025

Special report: Green Critical Minerals has placed orders for all critical pilot plant equipment, which will arrive in stages between November 2024 and January 2025 ahead of installation.

Construction of the VHD technology pilot plant in NSW will begin during the first half of December, marking the start of a pivotal phase in the project as Green Critical Minerals (ASX:GCM) moves closer to realising its vision of delivering graphite-based solutions.

The pilot plant is designed to produce two distinct product lines – one being smaller VHD blocks, which will be tailored for heat sinks used in semiconductor devices for high-performance computing such as gaming computers and data centres.

The other product line comprises larger VHD blocks, serving as critical components for solar-thermal energy storage systems to address the growing need for innovative solutions in renewable power generation and industrial processes.

Commercialisation runway

GCM remains on track to commission the pilot plant during the second quarter of FY2025, marking the beginning of small-scale production.

Validation of laboratory-scale sample production and properties is expected in Q3 FY2025, with customer qualification testing and validation to follow.

Production samples of the VHD blocks to key customers in the electronics market for testing and validation will take place during the third quarter of FY2025.

Subject to pilot plant success, commercialisation and ramp-up will then occur in the first quarter of 2026.

Big picture plans and goals

Once the pilot plant has been completed, GCM plans to establish a full-scale production facility with a strategic focus in the USA due to its strong demand for thermal management solutions in electronics and renewable energy markets.

While the initial focus is on high-performance electronics and renewable energy, GCM is also keen to explore other industries such as aerospace, defence, and advanced manufacturing, where thermal management and energy storage solutions are critical.

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.