Northern Graphite has announced plans to restart production at its Okanjande mine in Namibia in the first half of 2027, positioning the country as a key player in global battery material supply.
“With the resumption of production at the Okanjande Project, Northern would become one of the world’s largest non-Chinese natural graphite producers,” the company said in its second-quarter 2025 results.
According to Northern Graphite, the project is designed to supply battery anode material, the largest component of lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems, as part of its strategy to establish a secure supply chain in Europe and North America.
The company noted that the Okanjande mine, which has been under care and maintenance since 2023, provides a cost-competitive and faster path to market compared with rival projects. Northern highlighted that output from the mine will be sent to its proposed processing facilities in France and Baie-Comeau, Quebec.
“The Okanjande project in Namibia represents an opportunity to substantially increase graphite production at a lower cost and with a shorter time to market than most competing projects,” Northern Graphite stated.
Northern further confirmed that its French project has been granted “Strategic Project” status under the European Union’s Critical Raw Materials Act, which allows for fast-tracked permitting and potential financial support.
“The company’s proposal to upgrade graphite from the Okanjande project in Namibia into battery anode material in France was selected as one of 47 strategic projects under the European Union’s Critical Raw Materials Act,” it said.
In its report, the company added that a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) recommended relocating the Okanjande processing plant from Okorusu to the mine site. While this would raise upfront capital costs, it is expected to reduce operating expenses significantly in the long term.
“The PEA indicated that the economics are attractive under a plan to move the processing plant from Okorusu to the mine site with higher capital costs but lower operating costs,” Northern Graphite stated.
The company also said it intends to finance the restart through a combination of royalty, stream, and debt structures, supported by equity contributions from a strategic partner, in order to avoid issuing shares at current market prices.
