Northern Graphite, an Ottawa-based natural battery materials producer, announced it has completed the relocation of its processing plant in Namibia to the Okanjande mine site, the first step towards a planned 2027 production restart.
The news follows a 2023 preliminary economic assessment (PEA), which evaluated the processing plant’s relocation and determined the technical and economic viability of the approach. The company said the new location eliminated the need to transport material over long distances, which will reduce operation costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
“With plant equipment now in place at the mine site, we are advancing preparations for production and strengthening the foundation for supplying our planned joint venture BAM facility in Yanbu, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is targeted for initial production in 2028 as part of Northern's broader mine-to-battery strategy,” said Hugues Jacquemin, Northern Graphite’s chief executive officer.
Okanjande graphite is expected to serve traditional industrial uses and the expanding national security and battery materials markets.
“Okanjande hosts a large graphite resource in one of Africa's most politically stable jurisdictions, with access to a deep-water port that provides substantial competitive advantages over many competing projects," added Jacquemin. "Completing the plant relocation further de-risks the restart strategy and positions [the company] to move quickly to support secure graphite supply chains independent of China.”
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