Northern Graphite, Rain Carbon Secure R&D Grant for Greener Battery Materials

05 Nov 2025 CW Team

The two-year, C$2.2 million project aims to transform natural graphite processing by-products into high-performance, battery-grade anode material (BAM). Supported by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Programme (NRC IRAP) and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) through its ZIM initiative, the project is designed to reduce waste and carbon footprint in the graphite supply chain.

Northern’s Germany-based unit, NGC Battery Materials GmbH (NGCBM), and RAINCA will focus on improving milling and shaping yields by upcycling low-value graphite fine fractions, maximising material recovery while reducing the need for additional mining. Northern will supply natural graphite feedstock from its operations in Canada and Namibia, applying advanced purification techniques to produce battery-grade feedstock.

RAINCA will provide its proprietary LIONCOAT® carbon coating technology and lead electrochemical testing from its Technology Innovation Centre for Energy Storage Materials in Hamilton, Ontario. The centre houses a pilot-scale demonstration plant, analytical laboratories, and facilities for cell fabrication and performance assessment.

“This collaboration combines the upstream strengths of our mining and graphite operations with RAIN’s carbon science expertise to deliver advanced solutions for a clean energy future,” said Hugues Jacquemin, CEO, Northern Graphite.

Dr Moritz Hantel, Chief Product Officer, Northern Graphite, added, “By improving conversion rates and utilising more of the graphite we mine, this initiative will cut waste and reduce the carbon footprint per kilogram of battery material, in line with circular economy principles.”

For RAIN, the partnership accelerates its development of battery-grade carbon precursor materials under the LIONCOAT® brand and enhances its competitive position in the global energy storage market. “Together, both organisations are well-positioned to meet the quality standards of the competitive battery sector,” said Gerard Sweeney, President, Rain Carbon.

Canadian officials welcomed the collaboration as a key step in building resilient and sustainable critical mineral supply chains. The Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, said, “Through the G7 Critical Minerals Action Plan, we are supporting projects like this that reduce environmental impacts and strengthen our competitive edge.”

Northern Graphite Corporation and Rain Carbon Canada Inc, a subsidiary of Rain Carbon Inc, have jointly received up to C$860,000 (€530,000) in funding under the Canada–Germany Collaborative Industrial Research and Development Programme to develop sustainable battery anode materials.The two-year, C$2.2 million project aims to transform natural graphite processing by-products into high-performance, battery-grade anode material (BAM). Supported by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Programme (NRC IRAP) and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) through its ZIM initiative, the project is designed to reduce waste and carbon footprint in the graphite supply chain.Northern’s Germany-based unit, NGC Battery Materials GmbH (NGCBM), and RAINCA will focus on improving milling and shaping yields by upcycling low-value graphite fine fractions, maximising material recovery while reducing the need for additional mining. Northern will supply natural graphite feedstock from its operations in Canada and Namibia, applying advanced purification techniques to produce battery-grade feedstock.RAINCA will provide its proprietary LIONCOAT® carbon coating technology and lead electrochemical testing from its Technology Innovation Centre for Energy Storage Materials in Hamilton, Ontario. The centre houses a pilot-scale demonstration plant, analytical laboratories, and facilities for cell fabrication and performance assessment.“This collaboration combines the upstream strengths of our mining and graphite operations with RAIN’s carbon science expertise to deliver advanced solutions for a clean energy future,” said Hugues Jacquemin, CEO, Northern Graphite.Dr Moritz Hantel, Chief Product Officer, Northern Graphite, added, “By improving conversion rates and utilising more of the graphite we mine, this initiative will cut waste and reduce the carbon footprint per kilogram of battery material, in line with circular economy principles.”For RAIN, the partnership accelerates its development of battery-grade carbon precursor materials under the LIONCOAT® brand and enhances its competitive position in the global energy storage market. “Together, both organisations are well-positioned to meet the quality standards of the competitive battery sector,” said Gerard Sweeney, President, Rain Carbon.Canadian officials welcomed the collaboration as a key step in building resilient and sustainable critical mineral supply chains. The Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, said, “Through the G7 Critical Minerals Action Plan, we are supporting projects like this that reduce environmental impacts and strengthen our competitive edge.”

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