Northern Graphite says the relocation of processing infrastructure to its Okanjande graphite mine in Namibia is now 60% complete, marking a significant milestone in the company’s plans to restart the operation in late 2027.
The processing plant is being moved from the former Okorusu mine site to Okanjande and is expected to be fully relocated by the end of June. The project forms part of Northern Graphite’s broader strategy to establish an integrated graphite supply chain serving battery manufacturing markets outside China.
“In Namibia, the Company initiated work in May to relocate the processing plant from the former Okorusu site to the mine site at Okanjande as it targets a restart of the mine in late 2027. The work is now 60 percent complete and is expected to be concluded in June 2026,” Northern Graphite said in its latest operational update.
The company has appointed Namibia-based Rotary Engineering Services to dismantle, transport and reassemble the remaining plant infrastructure at Okanjande.
Northern Graphite said relocating the plant directly to the mine site is expected to lower operating costs, improve project sustainability and support future expansion.
“The plant relocation marks another step toward resuming production at Okanjande and is expected to reduce operating costs, improve project sustainability and enhance the operation’s long-term expansion potential,” the company said.
The restart of Okanjande forms part of Northern Graphite’s strategy to supply graphite concentrate to a planned Battery Anode Material (BAM) facility in Saudi Arabia, which is targeted to commence production in 2028.
Northern Graphite Chief Executive Officer Hugues Jacquemin said the company’s partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Obeikan Investment Group has accelerated plans to bring the Namibian mine back into production.
“At the same time, our partnership with Obeikan Investment Group to develop a Battery Anode Material facility in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has materially advanced our mine-to-battery strategy and accelerated plans to restart our Okanjande mine in Namibia,” Jacquemin said.
The proposed Saudi Arabian facility is expected to require an investment of approximately US$200 million and will initially have the capacity to produce 25,000 tonnes of battery anode material annually, with scope for future expansion.
Northern Graphite expects the facility to create a significant downstream market for graphite produced at Okanjande.
The company described Namibia as one of Africa’s most attractive mining jurisdictions, citing its established mining sector, logistics infrastructure and access to export markets.
“Namibia is considered one of the most favourable mining jurisdictions in Africa, and Okanjande is well positioned to supply customers in North America, Europe and the Middle East,” the company said.
Northern Graphite noted that Okanjande benefits from high-quality graphite resources, proximity to the Port of Walvis Bay and a relatively short development timeline compared to many competing graphite projects globally.
The company believes these advantages position the mine to play an important role in supplying critical minerals required for battery manufacturing and global electrification efforts.
Jacquemin said Okanjande remains central to the company’s long-term growth strategy.
“Over the coming quarters, we expect to restart production at Lac des Iles, continue advancing toward a final investment decision for our planned BAM facility in Yanbu and further position Okanjande as a future source of scalable graphite production,” he said.
