NMG secures key contracts for Matawinie construction

Nouveau Monde Graphite (NMG) (TSX: NOU; US-NYSE: NMG) is advancing preparations for the construction of its phase-2 Matawinie Mine, a project of national interest identified by the federal government. The company has awarded major contracts representing over 50% of the project's Capex, aligning with estimates from NMG's updated feasibility study. These contracts include provisions for full execution upon reaching a positive final investment decision (FID).

Eric Desaulniers, founder, president, and CEO of NMG, emphasized the importance of securing top-tier partners ahead of FID to de-risk financing and project execution. He stated, "By locking in top‑tier partners ahead of FID, we are further de‑risking the final financing steps and upcoming project execution. Efforts invested in rigorous construction planning and early contractor involvement is yielding tangible benefits—securing the capacity to mobilize immediately upon a positive FID and to deliver within the pricing envelope set by our latest technical report."

NMG has appointed Pomerleau as construction manager for the Matawinie Mine's construction and commissioning stages. Pomerleau will oversee the detailed construction sequence, contractors' supervision, worksite logistics, and implementation of health, safety, environment, and quality programs.

The company awarded the first and largest construction package to Manawan-Fournier, an Atikamekw joint-venture. This collaboration advances NMG's commitment to stimulate business opportunities for the Atikamekw First Nation of Manawan. NMG and the Atikamekw First Nation of Manawan co-hosted information activities to facilitate community participation in the construction.

Beauce Atlas, a Quebec-based company, secured the steel structures package. They will participate in the final engineering and constructability optimization of the industrial facilities. NMG is also finalizing an agreement with Metso to supply key processing equipment for the project.

NMG is finalizing an agreement with Metso, an international market leader in sustainable technologies, end-to-end solutions and services in mineral processing, to supply key processing equipment, including the crushing station, apron feeders, mills, flotation cells and filter presses. Engineering for the equipment is 90% complete. This agreement is set to further strengthen NMG and Metso’s partnership, supporting coordinated planning for long-lead items and alignment with the construction schedule.

Additional contracts have been secured for mechanical equipment, turnkey solutions for facilities, electrical substation and powerline, and specialized consultants. These agreements, combined with nearly 80% advancement in detailed engineering, solidify NMG's execution plan for the Matawinie Mine.

Nouveau Monde Graphite positions itself as an integrated company developing responsible mining and advanced processing operations to supply the global economy with carbon-neutral advanced graphite materials. The company aims to become a strategic supplier of advanced materials to specialized manufacturers while promoting sustainability, innovation, and supply chain traceability.