Northern Graphite Corporation and The BMI Group have announced a strategic partnership to explore the development of a Battery Anode Material (BAM) facility at the former Baie-Comeau paper mill site in Quebec. This site is currently being transformed by BMI into the Norderra multimodal industrial hub. The collaboration aims to evaluate the feasibility of establishing a Stage 1 BAM production facility with a capacity of 50,000 tonnes per year.

As part of this initiative, Northern and BMI will work together to engage with local authorities and utility providers to secure the necessary power infrastructure. Their goal is to optimize the site's economic potential while minimizing environmental impact. This includes taking into account the interests of the city of Baie-Comeau, the Innu of Pessamit, and other community stakeholders. The assessment will also cover zoning regulations, existing infrastructure, and other operational requirements to determine the most viable development path.

Hugues Jacquemin, CEO of Northern Graphite, emphasized the strategic importance of repurposing the former mill site. “Leveraging the site’s established infrastructure could accelerate the development of a BAM facility, reduce time to market, and support Canada and Quebec’s critical mineral strategies. It’s also an opportunity to generate employment and economic growth in the region,” he stated. He also highlighted the growing global demand for graphite, positioning Canada to play a key role in supplying materials essential for electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy technologies.

The proposed BAM hub could be developed either at the Norderra site, which is a well-connected, infrastructure-ready node within BMI’s Critical Mineral Corridor, or on an alternative 300-acre greenfield site owned by the city of Baie-Comeau. Northern Graphite is currently evaluating both options, though Norderra is favored due to its strategic advantages.

Paul Veldman, CEO of The BMI Group, noted that this collaboration aligns with BMI’s broader development goals. “This initiative supports the Norderra hub and puts the former mill's infrastructure to good use, unlocking the full value of regional graphite resources,” he said.

Battery Anode Material is a crucial component of lithium-ion batteries, produced by refining graphite concentrate to meet stringent EV industry specifications. Northern’s Baie-Comeau initiative addresses a significant gap in the clean energy supply chain. If successful, the project would strengthen BMI’s critical minerals infrastructure and support Northern’s goal of becoming a leading, fully integrated graphite producer.

Feedstock for the facility will come from Northern’s Lac des Iles (LDI) mine in Quebec, as well as its projects in Ontario and Namibia. The Baie-Comeau facility will complement Northern’s upcoming BAM plant in France, recently designated a Strategic Project under the European Union’s Critical Raw Materials Act.