NYSE- and TSX-listed Nouveau Monde Graphite (NMG) on May 20 hosted a ground-breaking ceremony to mark the official start of construction at the Matawinie mine in Saint-Michel-des-Saints, Québec, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and various other prominent government officials having attended.

Matawinie represents the largest graphite mine in the G7 countries – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US.

This important milestone reflects several years of planning and investment in local communities and demonstrates the company’s commitment to sustainable development through the responsible valorisation of graphite, a critical and strategic mineral at the heart of the energy transition, NMG states.

The Matawinie project aligns with the priorities of both Canada and Québec to establish one of the largest integrated natural graphite production platforms in the G7 and to secure critical mineral supply chains, while generating meaningful benefits for local communities and regions.

It should also be noted that the project was designated in November of last year as a major project of national interest by the government of Canada, highlighting the strategic value of the company’s business plan to build one of the largest integrated natural graphite production platforms in the G7, NMG reports.

For NMG president and CEO Eric Desaulniers the groundbreaking marks far more than the start of construction, rather it represents the culmination of years of dedication and perseverance by employees who have firmly believed in NMG’s vision from the beginning

Construction and commissioning of the Matawinie mine are expected to take about 31 months, leading to full commercial production by the end of 2028, with an estimated average yearly production of 106 000 t of graphite expected to be produced. This positions the project at the heart of the region’s critical minerals supply chain, with production being supported by diversified commercial agreements, including with Panasonic Energy, the government of Canada and Traxys North America, which covers more than 70% of expected production.

In parallel, and in support of its vertically integrated business model, NMG aims to reach a final investment decision (FID) in the second half of 2026 for its battery material plant in Bécancour, with a planned capacity of 13 000 t/y dedicated to the Panasonic Energy offtake agreement.

Beyond its industrial impact, the integrated project is expected to generate significant economic benefits, including the creation of several hundred jobs during construction and the maintenance of more than 300 high-quality jobs once operations are fully underway.

“In an increasingly divided and uncertain world, Canada's new government is focused on what we can control. We are building a stronger, more independent, more resilient economy – an economy built on the solid foundation of strong Canadian industries and workers,” Carney says.

Canada’s government last year launched the Major Projects Office to accelerate development of major infrastructure projects such as ports, mines and energy corridors. In six months’ time, Canada has referred 22 projects and transformative strategies to the office worth more than $126-billion in investment, including the Matawinie mine.

Construction on Matawinie started just six months after its referral to the Major Projects Office.

Carney says graphite is an indispensable component for electric vehicle batteries, energy storage systems, advanced manufacturing and defence and aerospace technologies. With global demand rapidly outpacing supply, the Matawinie mine will help position Canada as the reliable partner of choice for Asia, Europe and beyond.

“By building more of the critical minerals value chain here at home, Canada will strengthen its battery and automotive sectors, reduce reliance on concentrated foreign sources of graphite and position Canada as a reliable supplier of responsibly sourced graphite materials,” Carney states.

To ensure that this transformative mine was built, the Major Projects Office convened four federal departments and agencies to coordinate financing support, commercial arrangements, and permitting and approval processes. The office also helped secure offtake agreements for NMG, which helped to accelerate efforts to an FID in less than six months.