The Company is actively advancing its integrated feasibility study, engaging with its Anchor Customers Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd. (“Panasonic Energy”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Panasonic Holdings Corporation (“Panasonic”) (TYO: 6752), and General Motors Holdings LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors Co. (collectively, “GM”) (NYSE: GM), ongoing project financing activities, and preparing for the construction of its Phase-2 operations.
Arne H Frandsen, Chair of NMG, declared: “Our roadmap is laid out with key components aligning toward the establishment of North America’s largest and fully integrated natural graphite production for the electric vehicle (“EV”) and lithium-ion battery market. The team is relentless in diligently advancing the technical, commercial and financial deliverables to support a positive FID.”
Eric Desaulniers, Founder, President, and CEO of NMG, stated: “Our focus on engineering, customer engagement, financing, and construction preparation is driving us closer to our goal of becoming a leading supplier of carbon-neutral active anode material. Our time-to-market window remains reasonable and the efforts we invest in refining our facilities and production parameters, CAPEX and OPEX projections, and execution strategy will bear fruit upon reaching FID. Our team, along with our Anchor Customers, strategic investors, lenders, and consultants, are rallied behind our objective of building a competitive, responsible, and quality ore-to-active-anode-materials operation to deliver value to the market and our shareholders.”
Path to FID: Disciplined Approach to Commercial Launch:
The Company is actively working on updating the feasibility study for its integrated ore-to-active-anode-material Phase 2. The Matawinie Mine is well advanced in regard to detailed engineering; work on that end focuses on updating cost projections to reflect the advancement in equipment selection, construction strategy, and economic conditions. In parallel, plans for the Bécancour Battery Material Plant are being updated to reflect Anchor Customers’ product specifications, including production parameters, engineering and cost projections. The exercise aims at optimizing all aspects of the project, from technological trade-offs to equipment selection, energy efficiency and engineering, in order to design, finance, and build a competitive value-added operation. Management expects the results of the updated integrated feasibility study to be ready early in Q1-2025.
The Company is working closely with its Anchor Customers to advance the product qualification, project execution, commercial and corporate requirements associated with the respective offtake agreements with the objective of supporting Phase-2 development. This work involves the full review of Phase-2 plans, both technical and financial, to ensure that all key contractual components are aligned prior to launching Phase-2 construction and all conditions to the Anchor Customers’ multi-year offtake obligations and additional equity subscription commitments can be met. Results from the updated feasibility study are among those key deliverables.
The Company's contracts with its Anchor Customers contain conditions precedent which require NMG to have made a positive decision with respect to FID and entered into certain other project-related agreements by certain fixed dates, failing which the Anchor Customers may terminate their contracts with the Company. Those dates will be exceeded. The Company and its Anchor Customers are working collaboratively toward FID and are in discussions to update the project timeline, including for the satisfaction of these conditions’ precedent.
As the issuance of the updated feasibility study nears, NMG is accelerating financing activities in preparation for FID. Since the launch of project financing planning efforts, the Company has received cumulative expressions of interest totaling approximately $1.4 billion for its Phase-2 project financing comprised of potential lenders, Anchor Customers and institutional equity investors. Presentations, site visits, due diligence reviews, and regular meetings provide financial partners with visibility and comfort on the Company’s project, execution strategy, and risk management.
The financing structure is set to include Panasonic and GM’s respective Tranche-2 investments announced in February 2024 in conjunction with their respective offtake agreements. Upon a positive FID decision and meeting of established conditions, the Anchor Customers, directly or through an affiliate, or together with potential co-investors, would participate in future funding for a total amount valued at approximately US$275 million.
A third-party assessment of the Company’s Phase-2 CAPEX eligibility to the new Canadian Investment Tax Credit for Clean Technology Manufacturing indicate a potential for securing approximately $350 million through this refundable tax credit. NMG is designing its capital structure to leverage such fiscal incentives along with strategic debt and equity facilities.
The Company is also furthering its project execution plan. NMG has awarded the Matawinie Mine’s 120kV electrical substation contract to ABB. ABB will lead construction of the substation as the primary connection point between the mining site and Hydro-Québec’s hydropower line, enabling full electrification of the Matawinie Mine using renewable energy. NMG will benefit from technical expertise and dedicated resources overseeing engineering, supply, commissioning, and start-up of the substation.
Complimentary procurement activities are being deployed in preparation of the first construction packages for tendering, including direct meetings with local and Indigenous businesses representatives to document the capacity, service offerings and availability of businesses in the region.
The Company’s electrification program is making tangible progress. Hydro-Québec, which NMG has mandated to build and operate the 120-kV electrical line set to connect the Matawinie Mine to the provincial hydropower network, is now actively updating execution plans, meeting with landowners and key stakeholders, and preparing construction activities. The powerline is set to be operational in time for the Matawinie Mine commissioning phase.
In parallel, Caterpillar Inc. (“Caterpillar”) continues to advance the development of zero-exhaust emission equipment for the mining industry, including NMG’s Matawinie Mine. NMG participated in a site visit at Caterpillar’s Tucson Proving Ground involving live field demonstrations of zero-exhaust emission Early Learner machines and prototypes, including battery-electric haulage and charging solutions in the 70 to 100-ton-class. NMG’s technical team is actively collaborating with Caterpillar to support the development, testing and deployment of an integrated site solution for the Matawinie Mine covering the fleet, charging infrastructure, and operating site management.
About Nouveau Monde Graphite:
Nouveau Monde Graphite is an integrated company developing responsible mining and advanced manufacturing operations to supply the global economy with carbon-neutral active anode material to power EV and renewable energy storage systems. The Company is developing a fully integrated ore-to-battery-material source of graphite-based active anode material in Québec, Canada. With enviable ESG standards and structuring partnerships with anchor customers, NMG is set to become a strategic supplier to the world’s leading lithium-ion battery and EV manufacturers, providing high-performing and reliable advanced materials while promoting sustainability and supply chain traceability.
For more information please visit, www.NMG.com