Northern Graphite Corporation (TSX-V: NGC; OTCQB: NGPHF; FRA: 0NG) and Rain Carbon Canada Inc have announced that their joint consortium will receive up to C$860,000 (€530,000) in funding through the Canada–Germany Collaborative Industrial Research and Development Program. The two-year initiative, valued at $2.2 million, will focus on converting low-value graphite by-products into high-performance, battery-grade anode materials.
The project is jointly supported by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) under its Central Innovation Program for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (ZIM). Northern’s subsidiary, NGC Battery Materials GmbH (NGCBM), and Rain Carbon Canada (RAINCA) will lead the work, targeting process innovations that improve graphite utilization, reduce waste, and lower the environmental impact of anode material production.
“This partnership represents a complete mine-to-battery value chain,” said Hugues Jacquemin, CEO of Northern Graphite. “By combining Northern’s upstream expertise in mining and graphite processing with Rain Carbon’s advanced carbon science, we aim to develop cleaner, more efficient materials for the global battery industry.”
The collaboration will use natural graphite feedstock from Northern’s operations in Canada and Namibia, refined through advanced shaping and purification processes. Rain Carbon will contribute its LIONCOAT® carbon coating technology and lead electrochemical testing to ensure world-class performance standards. Research and pilot-scale production will take place at Rain’s Technology Innovation Center for Energy Storage Materials in Hamilton, Ontario, which houses advanced facilities for material processing, analysis, and battery testing.
“Our goal is to lower the carbon footprint of each kilogram of battery material by increasing graphite conversion efficiency and minimizing waste,” added Dr Moritz Hantel, Chief Product Officer of Northern Graphite. “This approach supports circular economy principles and reinforces our commitment to sustainable innovation.” For Rain Carbon, the project accelerates product development cycles, enhances technical know-how, and strengthens competitiveness in producing high-purity carbon precursors under the LIONCOAT® brand.
“This collaboration enhances Rain’s position in the battery materials sector while enabling Northern to extend its value chain into higher-margin, downstream products,” said Gerard Sweeney, President of Rain Carbon Inc. “Together, we are well-equipped to meet the exacting standards of the global energy storage market.”
Canadian Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson emphasized the importance of such initiatives, stating “Investments like this drive innovation in critical minerals and support resilient, low-carbon supply chains. Partnerships between Canadian and international firms strengthen our competitive edge in the clean energy transition.” Claude Guay, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister, added“By fostering collaboration across borders, we are advancing sustainable technologies that keep Canada at the forefront of critical mineral innovation.”
Northern Graphite is the only producing flake graphite company in North America, listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. The company aims to become a global leader in supplying natural graphite and refining it into high-value products, including anode materials for lithium-ion batteries, fuel cells, graphene, and advanced industrial applications.
Northern’s assets include the Lac des Iles mine in Québec, the Bissett Creek project in Ontario, and the Okanjande mine in Namibia. Together, these sites position Northern to supply growing markets in electric vehicles and energy storage from secure, sustainable jurisdictions. The company’s Battery Materials Group, based in Frankfurt, Germany, drives its mine-to-battery strategy through state-of-the-art research and production facilities.
Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Rain Carbon Canada upcycles industrial by-products from steel, petroleum, and chemical manufacturing into high-value carbon materials, intermediate chemicals, and aromatic oils. These products are essential in industries such as aluminum, steel, construction, and energy storage. Rain Carbon Canada is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rain Carbon Inc, which is part of Rain Industries Limited (NSE: RAIN), a publicly listed company in India.
