Europe is increasingly looking to African graphite to reduce its dependence on China for battery materials, as automakers and technology companies push to build a domestic value chain for electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
Canadian mining firm Northern Graphite said on Feb. 2 that it has joined the USE-G project, a European initiative focused on developing graphite processing technologies. Under the project, Northern Graphite will supply graphite from its Okanjande mine in Namibia. The initiative is led by Germany’s Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, alongside German companies Rain Carbon Germany and H.C. Starck Tungsten, and is backed by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, which is contributing €1.14 million (US$1.34 million) to the project’s total budget of €1.7 million.
UK-based Blencowe Resources is also participating in Europe’s battery initiatives, supplying graphite from its Orom-Cross project in Uganda. While Orom-Cross is not yet in production, the company targets a start-up in the first half of 2027. Northern Graphite’s Okanjande mine exists but has been inactive for several years, and participation in USE-G depends on operations restarting, the company said.
Europe currently depends heavily on China for the purification, coating, and shaping technologies needed to convert natural graphite into battery-grade material. Chinese companies are estimated to supply close to 100% of Europe’s processed graphite. According to Norwegian firm Vianode, China still maintains a technological lead of 10 to 15 years in the battery anode segment.
The USE-G project aims to close this gap by developing a fully European graphite processing route. “This initiative illustrates how natural graphite produced in Canada and Namibia can be processed in Europe into next-generation battery materials,” said Hugues Jacquemin, CEO of Northern Graphite.
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Blencowe Resources is also engaged in Safeloop, a European research and innovation project focused on safer and more sustainable battery cells for the automotive industry. Blencowe joined the project in 2024 as its exclusive graphite supplier, underscoring the growing role of African graphite in Europe’s R&D ecosystem, even ahead of commercial production.
The move toward African graphite is part of a broader European strategy to diversify supply chains and reduce reliance on China amid geopolitical tensions and the rapid growth of EV markets. Several European companies are actively seeking direct access to graphite sources in Africa. Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Materials, for example, has signed an offtake agreement for Malagasy graphite with Canada’s NextSource Materials.
Industry experts say that while R&D projects such as USE-G and Safeloop can validate the technical suitability of African graphite, large-scale integration into Europe’s automotive supply chain will depend on commercial agreements and reliable production capacity. Africa’s mining sector is seen as a potential linchpin for Europe’s ambition to develop a local battery ecosystem.
African graphite projects, particularly in Namibia, Uganda and Madagascar, are gaining attention as Europe looks to secure upstream supply. The Okanjande mine in Namibia and Orom-Cross project in Uganda represent strategic assets for Western and European battery developers, though both require operational scaling before they can meet industrial demand.
European policymakers have emphasised that developing domestic processing capacity is as important as securing raw material sources. Local processing not only reduces reliance on China but also helps Europe capture more value along the battery supply chain, supporting jobs, innovation and energy transition goals.
As the EV market continues to grow, Europe’s shift toward African graphite illustrates a broader trend of regionalisation in critical raw materials, balancing geopolitical risks, sustainability requirements, and the need for secure, high-quality battery inputs.
