Northern Graphite (TSXV: NGC; OTCQB: NGPHF) announced they are partnering with the BMI Group to evaluate the feasibility of establishing a battery anode material facility at a former paper mill in Baie-Comeau, Quebec. These partners are developing this facility by BMI as the Norderra multimodal industrial hub.
Northern and BMI will collaboratively engage local authorities and utility providers to secure the necessary power supply to build a stage one, 50,000 tons-per-year BAM hub in Baie-Comeau and to maximize the site's economic benefits and minimize its environmental impacts with respect to the city, the Innu of Pessamit and other local stake holders. The partners will also review the site's viability from the perspective of operational requirements, infrastructure and zoning regulations.
Northern CEO Hugues Jacquemin stated: "Reactivating this site with all of its established infrastructure could accelerate construction of a BAM plant, reduce time to market and advance Quebec and Canada's critical mineral strategy while creating new jobs and economic stimulus for the region. With graphite demand projected to surge in coming years, this is an opportunity to position Canada as a leader in battery materials essential for EVs and renewable energy."
The proposed Baie-Comeau BAM hub could be located at either Norderra, BMI's infrastructure-ready node on its planned critical mineral corridor which connects northern Ontario and Quebec's mineral resources with manufacturing hubs and global markets, or at an alternative 300-acre greenfield site owned by the city. Northern is currently evaluating both options but the Norderra location has significant advantages in terms of existing infrastructure and speed to market.
Paul Veldman, CEO of The BMI Group, stated: "This partnership would significantly contribute to putting the former mill's infrastructure to use, advancing the Norderra development, and unlocking the full potential of the region's graphite resources.”
If the partnership proceeds, it would advance the BMI Group's burgeoning critical minerals infrastructure as well as help turn Northern into one of the world's largest integrated graphite producers. Feedstock will be supplied from Northern's LDI mine in Quebec and development projects in Namibia, and Ontario. The Baie-Comeau plant will complement Northern's planned BAM facility in France, recently selected as a strategic project under the EU's Critical Raw Materials Act.
BMI Group's critical mineral corridor is being structured to connect Ontario and Quebec's mineral resource regions to global markets through strategic infrastructure. The network establishes three key connection points: the Port of Red Rock development as the northernmost port on the Great Lakes and closest to the region's lithium deposits and Ring of Fire; the Bioveld Niagara multimodal enterprise campus in Thorold-part of the Niagara Ports Network in partnership with HOPA and Norderra in Baie-Comeau at the mouth of the Atlantic.
This integrated system creates a stable, secure supply chain for lithium, graphite nickel, copper, and cobalt. These minerals, essential for electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies, will flow through this corridor from Canadian deposits to manufacturing centers and European markets. The corridor will also integrate minerals from international sources, further strengthening its role as a comprehensive mineral processing and distribution network.
For more information, please visit: www.theBmiGroup.ca.
May 2, 2025
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