Northern Graphite Corporation has begun relocating its processing plant in Namibia as part of plans to restart production at the Okanjande Graphite Mine by late 2027.
Chief Executive Officer Hugues Jacquemin said the company has awarded a contract to Rotary Engineering Services to dismantle the remaining infrastructure at the former Okorusu site and transport it to Okanjande for reassembly.
The relocation work is expected to be completed by the end of June 2026, subject to normal execution conditions.
“Northern Graphite Corporation is pleased to announce that it has initiated work to relocate the processing plant in Namibia to the Okanjande mine site as it advances plans to restart production in late 2027,” Jacquemin said.
The company said the relocation forms part of a broader strategy aimed at reducing costs, improving operational efficiency and accelerating its mine-to-battery value chain.
Once reassembled, the plant is expected to support production of flake graphite feedstock for Northern Graphite’s planned Battery Anode Material facility in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, which is targeted to begin production in 2028.
“It puts us on a clear path toward supplying our planned joint venture BAM facility in Yanbu, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is targeted for initial production in 2028, supporting Northern’s broader mine-to-battery strategy,” Jacquemin said.
A preliminary economic assessment completed in 2023 found that relocating the plant would be more viable than refurbishing it at the previous site.
According to the company, the approach is expected to lower operating costs by reducing transport distances for mineralised material while also improving sustainability outcomes through lower greenhouse gas emissions and greater expansion potential.
Northern Graphite is also assessing additional sustainability initiatives at Okanjande, including solar power generation and dry tailings management to reduce water consumption.
The Okanjande mine is currently under care and maintenance pending financing for the restart.
Once operational, the mine is expected to supply both traditional industrial graphite markets and the growing battery materials sector, driven by demand linked to electric vehicles and energy storage technologies.
Northern Graphite said Namibia’s political stability and access to port infrastructure strengthen the project’s competitiveness within global graphite supply chains.
“Okanjande has a large resource located in one of the most politically stable countries in Africa, with easy access to a deep-water port which provides substantial competitive advantages over most other African projects,” Jacquemin said.
