Zentek CEO Moe Jiwan joined Steve Darling from Proactive to discuss the filing of the company's independent technical report for its Albany graphite project in Northern Ontario, formally confirming the results outlined in the preliminary economic assessment released earlier this year.
Jiwan said the report highlights the significant economic potential of the Albany project, which generated an after-tax net present value of approximately US$3.85 billion using a 5% discount rate. The study also outlined an after-tax internal rate of return of 27.4%, a payback period of 4.4 years, and estimated initial capital expenditures of approximately US$870 million.
The Albany project is designed as a long-life operation with a planned mine life of 30 years and expected annual production of approximately 30,000 tonnes of finished ultra-high-purity graphite products. The economic model is based on an average weighted selling price of US$23,480 per tonne, reflecting the company's focus on specialty graphite markets rather than traditional commodity graphite sales.
Jiwan emphasized that Albany's value proposition is built around producing a highly engineered, specification-grade graphite product. Using Zentek's proprietary acid-free fluidized bed reactor purification process, the company has achieved bench-scale purity levels of 99.99985% carbon. The process has produced four certified graphite grades ranging from 4N to 5N purity, targeting applications in nuclear energy, advanced batteries, defence technologies, and other high-performance industrial sectors.
With the independent report now filed on SEDAR, Zentek is turning its attention toward the next major development milestone: a pre-feasibility study. Jiwan noted that much of the groundwork for the PFS has already begun while the PEA was being completed.
The upcoming study will focus on further resource definition, mine design optimization, flotation and purification testing, scaling up the fluidized bed reactor technology, infrastructure planning, and environmental baseline studies. In parallel, the company will continue product qualification programs aimed at securing future customers in nuclear, defence, and advanced materials markets.
Jiwan also highlighted Albany's strategic location in Northern Ontario. The project sits approximately 30 kilometres north of the Trans-Canada Highway and benefits from proximity to existing rail infrastructure, electrical power, and natural gas services, factors that could help support future development and operational efficiency.
The project is located on the traditional territory of Constance Lake First Nation, and Jiwan said relationship-building with the community remains a key priority. He noted that he personally leads engagement efforts and described ongoing discussions focused on training opportunities, employment creation, and long-term business participation.
Beyond the project itself, Jiwan pointed out that Zentek occupies a unique position within Ontario's graphite sector. He said Albany is currently the only graphite deposit in the province advancing toward the pre-feasibility stage while also benefiting from a company structure that already generates revenue through a growing portfolio of graphene-based products.
Those commercial activities span industrial, consumer, and defence markets, providing Zentek with an operational platform that distinguishes it from many traditional development-stage resource companies.Jiwan said the combination of a world-class graphite asset, proprietary purification technology, strategic infrastructure access, and existing commercial operations positions Zentek to pursue opportunities across multiple high-value markets as the Albany project continues to advance toward development.
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