Focus Graphite appoints new director of manufacturing and technology

Focus Graphite (CVE:FMS) Monday heralded the arrival of chemical engineer Joseph E. Doninger as the new director of manufacturing and technology. 

Doninger, whose appointment became effective October 1, is a developer and co-developer of many Canadian, European and U.S. patent applications tied to carbon processing methods and processing equipment.  

He is the author and co-author of more than two dozen technical reports and studies relating to graphite composite anodes, carbon-based materials for electrochemical energy storage systems and other related publications. 

In his new role, he will be responsible for leading Focus Graphite's team to meet objectives at its future mine site and planned processing plants in Varennes, Quebec. 

As a consulting engineer, he served as president of Dontech Global and during his 17-year career with Superior Graphite Co., he held posts of senior vice president of engineering and product commercialization, and vice president of manufacturing, and VP of technology.  

"Doninger's international credentials and experience dovetail with Focus Graphite's mine-to-market-technology business objectives," chief executive Gary Economo said in a statement on Monday.

"Doninger is not only an industry innovator, he is an industry insider with an established and successful senior management background with Chicago-based Superior Graphite among other internationally recognized graphite technology companies."

In late August, Focus announced the start of a 2012 exploration program at its Kwyjibo polymetallic property in Northeastern Quebec. 

Some 4,000 metres of exploration drilling is planned, with the impetus of confirming grades, thickness and continuity of the rare earth-iron-copper mineralization seen in the area of the Josette horizon. 

The best drilling intersections obtained from this area in 2011 included 2.40% total rare earth oxides (TREO) over 48.8 metres, and 3.61% TREO over 33.1 metres. 

The company plans to include results of this latest drilling program in an NI 43-101 compliant resource estimate at the end of the campaign. 

Focus, in August 2010, signed a deal with Soquem to buy a 50 per cent interest in the Kwyjibo property.

The Kwyjibo property consists of 118 mining titles and covers 6,278 hectares, located several kilometers north of Manitou Lake and 125 kilometres northeast of Sept-Iles, in the Cote-Nord administrative district of Quebec.

Focus Graphite is the owner of one of the highest-grade, at 16 per cent, technology graphite resource in the world at its Lac Knife project in Quebec. It is also invested in the development of graphene applications and patents through its Grafoid Inc business.