Northern Graphite Corp. has completed the relocation of its processing plant equipment directly to its Okanjande mine site in Namibia, clearing a major operational hurdle as the company targets a production restart by late 2027.

The Ottawa-based mineral developer dismantled the equipment at its former Okorusu site and shifted it roughly 85 kilometers (53 miles) to Okanjande. The move follows a 2023 preliminary economic assessment that advocated for shifting the mill closer to the deposit rather than rehabilitating it at its original location. By putting the processing infrastructure on-site, Northern Graphite eliminates long-distance ore haulage, a move projected to trim operating costs, reduce fuel consumption, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

The Namibian asset is a foundational piece of the company’s broader “mine-to-battery” strategy. Upgraded flake graphite from Okanjande is slated to serve as the primary feedstock for a planned joint-venture battery anode material (BAM) facility in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. Northern Graphite, which is currently the only active flake graphite producer in North America via its Quebec operations, aims for the Saudi plant to achieve initial production in 2028.

Supply Chain Security

The push to bring Okanjande back online comes amid an accelerating global race to establish critical mineral supply chains outside of Chinese dominance. Beijing controls the vast majority of the world’s graphite refining capacity, forcing Western automakers and defense industries to rapidly seek alternative, secure origins for battery materials.

“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,” Hugues Jacquemin, Northern Graphite’s chief executive officer, said in a statement. “Completing the plant relocation further de-risks the restart strategy and positions Northern to move quickly to support secure graphite supply chains independent of China.”

While the company intends to target the rapidly expanding electric vehicle and national security sectors, the Okanjande output will also feed traditional industrial segments, including electronics heat management and steelmaking refractories.

“The completion of the relocation is a major milestone for Northern and demonstrates our ability to execute,” Jacquemin said. “With plant equipment now in place at the mine site, we are advancing preparations for production.”