Focus Graphite Inc. (TSXV: FMS) (OTCQB: FCSMF) (FSE: FKC0) (“Focus” or the “Company“), a leading developer of high-grade flake graphite deposits and innovator of next-generation lithium-ion battery technology, is pleased to announce that it has been selected by Natural Resources Canada (“NRCan“) under the Global Partnerships Initiative (“GPI“) for conditional approval of a non-repayable contribution of up to $14,062,500 pending final due diligence. The funding will support Focus Graphite’s project, “Transformation of Canadian Flake Graphite into Ultra-High Purity Battery & Advanced Materials Using Electrothermal Fluidized Bed Technology” (the “Project“). The Project unites Canadians, Ukrainian, and American partners to produce ultra-high purity graphite for global battery, aerospace, defence, and advanced material markets.
Highlights:
- Up to $14.1 Million Non-Repayable Federal Contribution Funding: Announced by the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, at the G7 Energy and Environment Minister’s Meeting in Toronto under NRCan’s Global Partnerships Initiative (GPI), to support the establishment of Canada’s first commercial, scalable electrothermal fluidized bed purification demonstration facility, advancing domestic critical mineral processing capacity and creating skilled Canadian jobs.
- Environmentally Friendly Technology: This continuous process produces ultra-high purity graphite with zero liquid waste, lower emissions, and an ESG-aligned pathway to supply advanced battery, defence, aerospace, and clean technology markets.
- International Collaboration: Engineering led by Ukraine’s Thermal & Material Engineering Center, using Canadian graphite feedstock and U.S.-based American Energy Technologies Company’s expertise in electrothermal purification, with final assembly in Canada.
- BEACONS Battery Prototyping Partnership: Focus has partnered with the University of Texas at Dallas, representing the BEACONS Battery Prototyping Facility, a U.S. Department of War-supported research and development center dedicated to strengthening North American energy and materials security.
- Path to Commercialization: This initiative establishes the foundation for large-scale production of Quebec-sourced graphite from Lac Knife and Tetepisca, supporting Canada’s goal of secure, allied, and sustainable critical-mineral supply chains.
This represents the largest federal award in the Company’s history, supporting the development of Canada’s first chemical-free continual fluidized electrothermal purification demonstration facility for natural flake graphite. The Project will use Quebec-sourced feedstock from Focus’s Lac Knife and Lac Tetepisca deposits, two of North America’s highest-grade natural graphite resources, to produce ultra-high-purity (>99.95% C) graphite, suitable for battery, aerospace, defence, nuclear and a host of advanced-material applications, including graphene. The Company may access the contribution funding up until March 2028.
The continuous electrothermal fluidized bed technology initiative will be carried out through collaboration with Ukraine’s Thermal & Material Engineering Center (“TMEC“). TMEC will lead full project management for the demonstration unit, overseeing engineering design, construction, fabrication, system integration, and training. The company brings extensive experience in the design, engineering, and management of advanced high-temperature reactor systems and continuous fluidized bed technology development. American Energy Technologies Company (“AETC“), a recognized specialist in carbon materials, electrothermal purification, and fluidized bed furnace technologies, will continue providing processing and thermal purification services to support near-term customer sampling and product qualification.
Continue at Focus Graphite Inc.
