- Mine and mill temporarily placed on care and maintenance to prepare for 2026 pit expansion
Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - November 20, 2025) - Northern Graphite Corporation (TSXV: NGC) (OTCQB: NGPHF) (FSE: 0NG) (XSTU: 0NG) (the "Company" or "Northern") announces that it has put its Lac des Iles mine and mill ("LDI") into temporary care and maintenance in order to address an unexpected equipment issue and to accelerate critical maintenance and development work ahead of the Company's 2026 pit expansion.
The decision to advance the start of care and maintenance was prompted by a bearing failure at the mill, a long-lead-time component with a replacement window of approximately four to six weeks. Northern has ordered a replacement part and, with the mill temporarily offline, the Company has elected to advance other maintenance and repair projects that had originally been scheduled for January, and which will support the transition to mining from the new pit.
"Rather than stopping the plant now and again in January we decided to start the maintenance program immediately in order to avoid having two separate shutdowns," said Northern Chief Executive Hugues Jacquemin.
LDI is located approximately 150 km northwest of Montreal, Quebec and produces approximately 15,000 tonnes of graphite concentrate per year with installed capacity of 25,000 tonnes per year. Pre-stripping activity is currently underway as part of Phase 1 of an expansion program that could potentially add eight years to the mine life. Stripping is being conducted on a continuous 24 hour basis over an estimated two month period. The Regional Economic Growth Through Innovation Program, provided by Natural Resources Canada ("NRCan") and delivered by The Economic Development Agency of Canada for Quebec Regions ("CED"), is financing 75% of the eligible costs through an interest free, repayable contribution of up to $6.2 million for the expansion program.
Mining Update
Phase 1 permitting requires a Certificate of Authorization from Quebec's Ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs ("MELCCFP") to mine to 203m (above sea level). The application for such authorization is in the final stages and is expected to be submitted by the end of the month. The Company anticipates it will be in a position to initiate production from the expanded pit in the second quarter of next year. Deepening the pit in Phase 2 of the expansion program requires an authorization to mine below the 203m level and this process will be initiated in due course.
The Company is currently authorized to mine to 209m in the current pit, which is approximately 10m above the water table. It has now reached that depth and a relatively small amount of material has inadvertently been mined and blasted slightly below 209m. In an abundance of caution, mining operations have been temporarily halted until the Company confirms there have been no adverse impacts and will request a minor amendment to its existing Certificate of Authorization to mine remaining ore in the current pit to 203m. This could result in a production gap of approximately two- to three months between existing operations and production from the expanded pit.
Mr. Jacquemin stated: "We will be working closely with regulatory authorities to address this situation as we work to extend the life of this strategic Canadian asset and to create a secure, sustainable North American supply chain for one of the minerals most critical to meeting rapidly growing demand from regional and global battery markets."
About Northern Graphite
Northern is a Canadian, TSX Venture Exchange listed company that is the only flake graphite producing company in North America. Northern is focused on becoming a world leader in producing natural graphite and upgrading it into high-value products critical to the green economy, including anode material for lithium-ion batteries/EVs, fuel cells and graphene, as well as advanced industrial technologies. The Company's mine-to-battery strategy is spearheaded by its Battery Materials Group, which has a fully equipped, state-of-the-art laboratory in Frankfurt. Northern's graphite assets include the producing Lac des Iles mine in Quebec, where the Company plans to increase output to meet growing demand from industrial customers and coming demand from North American battery makers. The Company also owns the large-scale, advanced stage Bissett Creek graphite project in Ontario and the fully permitted Okanjande graphite mine in Namibia, which is currently on care and maintenance, and represents an opportunity to substantially increase graphite production at a lower cost and with a shorter time to market than most competing projects. All projects have "battery quality" graphite and are located close to infrastructure in politically stable jurisdictions.
For media inquiries contact
Pav Jordan, VP of Communications
Email: pjordan@northerngraphite.com
Qualified Person
Gregory Bowes, B.Sc. MBA P.Geo, the Chairman of Northern, is a "qualified person" as defined under NI 43-101and has reviewed and approved the content of this news release.
For additional information
Please visit the Company's website at https://www.northerngraphite.com/home/, the Company's profile on www.sedarplus.ca our Social Channels listed below or contact the Company at (613) 271-2124.
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Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "potential", "possible" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may", "will", "could", or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding, among others, the Company's plans to extend the mine life of its LDI mine and development plans for its other projects. All such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by management based on their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors they believe are appropriate in the circumstances. However, these statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected including, but not limited to, unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of other parties to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; unexpected failure or inadequacy of infrastructure and the failure of ongoing and contemplated studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued studies, development or operations and the inability to raise required financing. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements.
Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based on what management believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with them. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/275305
SOURCE: Northern Graphite Corporation
