Vianode to build $2B graphite plant in Ontario 

Norwegian battery materials producer Vianode says it’s planning to spend $2 billion (US$1.4 billion) on a plant in Ontario for the company’s first large-scale production of synthetic graphite.

The staged investment aims for eventual output of 150,000 tons (136,000 tonnes) of the low-emission battery anode material, Vianode, a unit of Oslo-listed silicon company Elkem, said on Friday. The plan was announced as part of a Group of Seven nations meeting of energy and environment ministers in Toronto that included other mining project funding. 

Synthetic graphite is an essential component in lithium-ion batteries and is critical for a range of defence and industrial applications. The plant is another move by Western nations to challenge China’s dominance in the processing of battery metals and other materials. 

“North American supply chains are heavily reliant on graphite sourced from China for lithium-ion batteries, defence technologies, nuclear technology and more,” Vianode CEO Burkhard Straube said in a release. “This scalable project is a key building block that aligns with recent shifts in trade policy and supports our ambition to be a leading and trusted supplier for G7 supply chains.”

Local jobs

The plant would create around 300 highly skilled jobs in the initial stage and up to 1,000 at full capacity.

“A large-scale facility in Ontario delivering high-performance anode graphite solutions will provide Canada with domestic capacity that will make supply chains more resilient,” Straube said.

The Vianode project is a critical mineral development that aligns with Canada’s priorities and international commitments in the Critical Minerals Production Alliance, Tim Hogdson, the country’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, said in the release. 

“We are working with trusted partners to deploy sovereign tools, mobilize investments and financing, and secure offtake arrangements to accelerate the development of secure, resilient critical minerals supply chains,” Hodgson said. 

“These minerals will power the clean energy transition, strengthen our defence and manufacturing capabilities, and position Canada as a trusted supplier to our allies.”