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Assay results from four new drill holes confirm wide graphite mineralization to continue for several kilometers at Kupukka
11.4.2025
Assay results from the four new drill holes (KUP-001, KUP-004, KUP-005, KUP-006) indicate that the wide graphite-rich zone is continuous for several kilometers at Kupukka. The drill hole KUP-001 is located 0.5 km south of the earlier reported KUP-002-003 drill profile with high grade graphite intercepts, KUP-004 is located 1.2 km north and KUP-005 1.9 km north of the KUP-002-003 drill profile. Importantly, KUP-006, which is located 3.9 km north of KUP-002-003 drill profile, on a now separate EM anomaly, but probably primarily as a part of the same graphite-rich layer, also intercepted a wide graphite-rich zone (Figures 1 and 2, Tables 1 and 2).
The host rock of the graphite mineralization is mostly graphite gneiss (graphite-rich mica gneiss) or a breccia-type rock but in places also amphibolite or hornblende gneiss. According to structural measurements from the oriented core the dip of the graphite-rich host rock is subvertical.
The graphite-rich intercepts for all the six drill holes assayed until now are presented in Table 2 and the cross sections for the four recently assayed drill holes in Figure 2. It should be noted that in most sections, there is only one drill hole and thus the higher-grade mineralization needs more drilling. Assay results for KUP-007 are pending.
Graphitic carbon (Cg) was assayed in Actlabs, Ontario. Certified reference standards, blanks and field duplicates were included in the sample batches, and no QA/QC issues were noted with the results reported herein and their values allow the public disclosure of the assay results.
Table 1. Drill holes drilled in October-November 2024 at Kupukka.
Table 2. Assay results from the drill holes assayed so far. Cut off for the intercepts is 3.0 % Cg. The true width is estimated to be around 70 % of the intercept length.
PDAC 2025 and other events
8.4.2025
Kupukan Grafiitti Oy participated in PDAC 2025. The Kupukka Graphite project was presented at the Mining Finland stand and at several side events during the PDAC.
In Helsinki, Kupukan Grafiitti Oy took part in the Mining Boost Breakfast event arranged by Mining Finland and Nasdaq. Juha-Matti Kekki presented there the Kupukka Graphite Project for the investors. In Helsinki Kupukan Grafiitti Oy also participated in the Winter Seminar by Vuorimiesyhdistys ry: What happened to green transition – How to accelerate investments again?
Positive assay results for the Kupukka drillings
18.2.2025
The first assay results for the drillings completed late 2024 are very promising. The drill holes KUP-002 and KUP-003 crosscut the EM anomaly in the southern part of the exploration permit area. KUP-002 intersected the graphite-rich gneiss for over 100 meters and KUP-003 for over 80 meters. According to structural measurements from the oriented core the dip of the graphite-rich gneiss is subvertical (see figs. 1 and 2).
Graphitic carbon (Cg) was assayed in Actlabs, Ontario. Certified reference standards, blanks and field duplicates were included in the sample batch, and no QA/QC issues were noted with the results reported herein and their values allow the public disclosure of the assay results.
Highlights include:
KUP-002: 112.40m @ 4.5 % Cg (82.60 – 195.00m), including 17.70m @ 5.2 % Cg (82.60 – 100.30m) and 22.55m @ 9.2 % Cg (118.20 – 140.75m)
KUP-003: 86.30m @ 3.6 % Cg (24.00 – 110.30m), including 20.45m @ 8.0 % Cg (26.00 – 46.45m)
The true width of the intercepts is estimated to around 70 % of the intercept length.
Positive drilling results confirm the potential of the Kupuka Graphite Project and encourage the project to continue as planned.
Kupukan Grafiitti Oy attends PDAC 2025
12.2.2025
Kupukan Grafiitti Oy will attend PDAC 2025 in Toronto, March 2-5, as a part of Mining Finland. You will find us in the North Building at Booth No. 6310N. Welcome to discuss and learn more about our Graphite Project.
Exploration ground extended at Kupukka
9.1.2025
Kupukan Grafiitti Oy has submitted a notification to Tukes for an exploration reservation. The new area covers the southern extensions of the recently studied Kupukka graphite deposit.
The first phase of drilling at Kupukka completed
28.11.2024
Kupukan Grafiiti Oy has completed the first phase of drilling of the Kupukka graphite deposit. Seven holes with a total length of 1,670 meters were drilled in the area. Graphite-bearing gneiss was intersected in all holes, which indicates that the Kupukka deposit is promising in terms of dimensions. Total length of the EM and magnetic anomalies probably indicating the graphite-bearing gneiss is around 10 km (Fig. 1).
Drill cores will be logged in the field base of Kupukan Grafiitti Oy in Rantsila over the next couple of months. Preliminary microscopic studies have already been performed on a few samples, and based on these, the quality of the graphite is good (Fig.2). However, various additional studies are still needed to determine the quality of the graphite more precisely.
Drilling at the Kupukka Graphite deposit has started
27.10.2024
Kupukan Grafiitti Oy has started its first drilling phase at the Company’s Kupukka Graphite Prospect in Siikalatva.
The plan is to drill 7 – 10 holes, in total 1500 – 2000 m, in different parts of the Kupukka target (Figure). The holes are planned based on ground EM and magnetic measurements made in late winter 2024. The length of the planned holes varies between 100 and 300 meters. The contractor is the drilling company Comadev Oy from Rovaniemi, Finland.
Exploration permit granted for the Kupukka Graphite Project
25.7.2024
On June 12, 2024, the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency TUKES approved Kupukan Grafiitti Oy’s exploration permit application. During the appeal period, there were no appeals to the Northern Finland Administrative Court, so the exploration permit is now legally binding. Landowners in the permit area will be contacted to pay landowner fees.
Obtaining the exploration permit without complaints shows broad acceptance of the local population for the Kupukka Graphite Project, considering that there are more than 100 landowners in the permit area. Kupukan Grafiitti Oy continues to communicate openly about the future exploration phases.
Geophysical ground surveys strengthen Kupukka’s ore potential
6.5.2024
The Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) was contracted to carry out geophysical ground surveys at Kupukka. Seven lines were measured at the end of March, approx. 400 m in length and 2620 m in total. The magnetic survey was made with a continuously recording GEM System GSM-19 Overhouser magnetometer. The magnetic data contains a total of 1960 observation values, on average every 1.3 meters. The electromagnetic survey was done with a Promis device from IRIS Instruments. Three survey frequencies of 880, 3520 and 14080 Hz were used, and the measurement was made every 10 meters.
Based on the interpretations, the bedrock source for the magnetic and electromagnetic anomalies is similar to the graphite gneiss intersected in the 2013 drilling. The dip of the interpreted structures is to the west or the structures are sub-vertical, which corresponds to the structure obtained from the 2013 drilling. Figure 1 shows the location of the survey lines, and Figure 2 shows the interpretations of the survey results.
First Drill results of the Kupukka Graphite Deposit
3.12.2023
Kupukan Grafiitti Oy has purhcased drill cores of historical, 2013 drillings with no earlier assaying. The drill cores were logged and graphite-bearing core was sent to ALS laboratories. One of the Drill Holes, RAN-2 intersects properly the EM and magnetic anomaly caused by the graphite gneiss. The other holes are more or less aside from the anomalies. DH RAN-2 has the following graphite (Cg) contents:
74.65 m (22.00-96.65m) @ 3.73 % Cg including:
24.00 m (40.00-64.00m) @ 5.31 % Cg and 14.65 m (82.00-96.65m) @ 6.16 % Cg.
Detailed images of the drillings are shown in Kupukka Graphite Project page.
These intercepts confirm the graphite ore potential of the Kupukka Graphite Project. Similar geophysical anomalies measured over the historical Drill Holes continue for more than 10 km’s length within the Kupukka Exploration Permit application area.
Kupukan Grafiitti Oy
26.6.2023
Since 2020 the graphite studies in the Kupukka area have been made by Suomen Malmitutkimus Oy. In order to focus investments clearly on the Kupukka Prospect, Kupukka was separated into its own company and Kupukan Grafiitti Oy was established. An application to transfer the Kupukka exploration permit application to Kupukan Grafiitti Oy has been filed to Tukes.
High graphite contents in boulders southeast of Kupukka
12.3.2023
Local prospectors have found numerous graphite-bearing boulders southeast of the Kupukka exploration permit area (Figs. 1 and 2). In several boulders the graphitic carbon content (Cg) is over 5 % and in four boulders over 10 %. Until now, the highest content is 17.7 % Cg (6.87 % sulphur). The boulders most probably originate from the Kupukka graphite belt.
Exploration permit application for the Kupukka Graphite Project
19.1.2023
Suomen Malmitutkimus Oy has filed to Tukes, 9 January 2023 an exploration permit application for the Kupukka Graphite Project. The permit area locates in the western part of the reservation and covers a total area of 1649 ha (Fig. 1).
Open information session in Pulkkila
30.10.2022
At an open information session, 11 October 2022, organized at the Pulkkila municipal hall, information was given about Suomen Malmitutkimus Oy’s graphite studies at the Kupukka Prospect. All study phases and the most important results so far were presented, as well as information about further plans. A discussion was held with the small but active audience that had arrived, e.g., about the continuation of studies, exploration permit, landowners’ rights and the new mining law. There is an article about the event in the Siikajokilaakso newspaper, 19 October 2022.
Graphite crystallinity of the Kupukka samples was studied at GTK laboratory
23.8.2022
At the GTK’s Mintec laboratory, the degree of crystallinity and crystallization temperature of graphite from the Kupukka area were investigated with a Raman spectrometer; two of the samples were from the drill core and one from the graphite concentrate (flotation + chemical purification). Based on the results, the degree of crystallinity of the graphite is very high, 96 – 98% (Figs. 1 and 2).
The degree of crystallinity of the graphite examined from the concentrate is the highest, which suggests that during mineral processing and beneficiation tests, graphite with the relatively highest crystallinity is enriched in the concentrate.
The crystallization temperature estimate for the drill samples was 682 – 683 ±50 (°C), which corresponds to the metamorphic grade of the study area (high amphibolite-granulite facies).
Geophysical surveys and interpretations completed in the Kupukka graphite prospect area
8.7.2022
Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) carried out electromagnetic measurements at the Kupukka
research area during March-April 2022. The report was completed in the end of May.
Flake graphite has been drilled at one of the research sites, Valkiaisjärvi. Other selected research sites have corresponding indications at aerogeophysical maps.
According to the survey results all four measured targets have strong indications of one or more conductive structures. Theoretical 3D models were calculated to locate the upper surface of the structures and estimate other properties. The locations of three conductive structures were determined at Valkiaisjärvi, but the dip directions were not resolved with certainty. The Multakorpi research site has a unified, vertical conductive structure nearly 100 m wide (Fig. 1). Two clearly separated, narrow conductive structures with eastwards dip were identified at the Sarvikangas research site. A uniform conductive structure was observed at the Isoräme research site. The dip direction is west.
Based on the results, all identified conductive structures have good conductivity and even better than at Valkiaisjärvi, where 8.7 – 13.4 % of graphitic carbon was assayed from graphite gneiss in drill core.
The 3D models calculated from the geophysical data can now be used in planning the drilling, which is the next step in the Kupukka graphite prospect.
Geophysical surveys in the Kupukka graphite prospect area at Siikalatva start 07.03.2022
26.02.2022
Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) has been contracted to make EM ground surveys in several areas of the Kupukka graphite prospect at Siikalatva (Fig. 1). The aim of the study is to locate the airborne EM anomalies and to get information of the structure and dimensions on the EM source, probably made by a graphite-bearing mica gneiss.
Laboratory Flotation and Chemical Purification Tests on graphite
13.12.2021
Ostrobothnia, Kupukka
- Flotation concentrates of around 90 % C
- Chemically purified end product up to 98 % C with a liberation degree of graphite 99.7 %
- Total carbon recovery 82.4 %
Bench scale test work was conducted on a composite drill core sample in length of 12.90 m, at the GTK Mintec laboratories, Outokumpu, during May-November 2021. The mineralogy of the sample and beneficiation of graphite by flotation and chemical purification were investigated. The aim of the work was to get preliminary information about the beneficiation potential of graphite.
The graphitic carbon grade of the sample was 5.5–5.8 %. According to MLA, the main minerals in the sample were quartz, K-feldspar, chlorite, plagioclase, biotite, pyrite, graphite, cordierite, clay minerals, garnet, and muscovite.
Totally 3 flotation tests were made on the sample. Grind size, flotation reagents and their dosages, pulp pH and flotation time were the main variables studied in these tests. Unnecessarily fine grinding was tried to be avoided to recover graphite as large flakes as possible. Therefore, grinding was mostly performed in stages. Flotation concentrates with almost 90 % C were obtained. Chemical purification tests consisting of alkali roasting and acid leaching showed that the carbon grade of the flotation concentrates could be upgraded up to 98 % with high recovery.
If the whole process, i.e., combination of flotation and chemical purification is considered, the total carbon recovery was 82.4 %. According to the MLA study, the liberation degree of graphite was 99.7 % in the final product.
The results of this test work encourage to continue the exploration within the Kupukka reservation by Suomen Malmitutkimus Oy. However, more tests would be needed to optimize the process parameters, both flotation and chemical. In addition of this test work the degree of crystallinity and crystallization temperature of graphite will be studied in near future at the GTK Mintec by Raman spectroscopy. Below images of graphite-bearing mica gneiss, graphite concentrates of different grain sizes and chemically purified graphite concentrate.
