So the reason why smaller labs were able to replicate the “levitation” is likely due to contamination (Fe/Iron) while pure samples did not exhibit any interesting properties.
Although he didnt explain 1) how did the Fe impurities get localized into certain regions of the overall batch. 2) Were the impurities quantitatively enough in the magnetically susceptible shards to cause the half levitations he demonstrated.
Hope he keeps running and reporting some side experiments, instead of completely going back to his day job.