International Graphite has signed a joint venture and shareholders’ agreement with European chemical manufacturer Alkeemia to establish a graphite processing hub at Porto Marghera, Italy.
The new project seeks to combine International Graphite’s experience in graphite processing with Alkeemia’s existing industrial infrastructure to increase Europe’s domestic supply of processed graphite.
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The facility is expected to support the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act, which classifies graphite as a strategic raw material. The Act aims for 40% of EU consumption of such materials to be processed within the block by 2030.
According to International Graphite, Europe relies on imports from China for nearly all of its processed graphite needs.
The proposed hub would help diversify Europe’s supply chain and reduce exposure to geopolitical risks.
An initial final investment decision for the project is targeted by the third quarter of 2026 (Q3 2026).
Construction is due to commence after securing necessary permits, which are also expected in Q3 2026.
The first phase of the project is designed to enable the production of approximately 10,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of graphite products, with potential expansion to 15,000tpa in a subsequent phase.
The projected start of production is in the second half of 2027.
The agreement covers a lease on land at the Alkeemia Porto Marghera site, operations management, product sales and provision of technical services by International Graphite.
Alkeemia holds a 99-year lease on the site, which currently operates as a hydrofluoric acid and fluoro derivatives manufacturing platform.
The Porto Marghera industrial port offers direct access to shipping, rail and road networks, facilitating logistics for importing graphite concentrate feedstock and distributing finished products.
Testwork supporting the project has already been undertaken at both laboratory and pilot scales, with International Graphite reporting successful production of graphite products that meet target specifications.
Alkeemia is constructing a 200tpa graphite purification pilot plant, with International Graphite allocated half of its initial capacity for testing.
Plans are in place to increase graphite purification output at the site to 20,000tpa by the end of this decade.
Tests have been carried out using various commercially available feedstocks from third-party suppliers to generate a range of potential high-specification products.
In July last year, International Graphite partnered with Arctic Graphite and investment firm Graphite Investment Partners to establish an expandable graphite processing facility in Germany.
