Rain Industries Secures C$860,000 Grant for Graphite R&D Project
Filing Summary
Rain Industries Limited, through its subsidiary Rain Carbon Canada Inc., and Northern Graphite Corporation have secured funding up to C$860,000 under the Canada-Germany Collaborative Industrial Research and Development Program. The 24-month project, with a total cost of $2.2 million, aims to transform natural graphite processing by-products into battery-grade materials. The initiative involves advanced techniques to enhance yield and reduce waste. The project is supported by the National Research Council of Canada and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.
Rain Industries Limited, through its wholly owned subsidiary Rain Carbon Canada Inc., has announced a collaboration with Northern Graphite Corporation. The consortium has received funding support up to C$860,000 under the Canada-Germany Collaborative Industrial Research and Development Program. The initiative focuses on transforming natural graphite processing by-products into high-performance, battery-grade materials. The project is designed to integrate upstream feedstock control with downstream processing and electrochemical testing.
The total cost of the 24-month project is $2.2 million. Funding is provided by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy through its Central Innovation Program for small and mid-size companies. The project aims to upcycle low-value natural graphite fine fractions byproduct into battery-grade anode material, thereby increasing milling and shaping yield while reducing waste and minimizing additional mining requirements.
The operational scope includes leveraging Northern Graphite’s natural graphite feedstock sourced from Canada and Namibia. Advanced sizing, shaping, and purification techniques will be applied to produce uniform, battery-grade feedstock particles. Rain Carbon Canada will contribute its advanced conversion processes and proprietary LIONCOAT® carbon coating technology. The project will be anchored by Rain’s Technology Innovation Center for Energy Storage Materials in Hamilton, Ontario, which includes a demonstration plant for material conversion and coating at pilot-scale, an advanced analytical lab, and an application lab for battery cell fabrication and performance assessment.
The project is set to span 24 months, with key milestones including the development of processes to maximize yield from graphite mine concentrates and minimize waste. The initiative will also focus on reducing the carbon footprint per kilogram of battery material by introducing processes that result in less waste from the milling cycle.
The consortium involves Northern Graphite Corporation and Rain Carbon Canada Inc. Northern Graphite will supply the natural graphite feedstock and apply advanced techniques for processing. Rain Carbon Canada will lead the electrochemical performance testing to ensure the final materials meet global standards. The collaboration aims to deliver a competitive Western supply chain alternative for the energy storage market.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to build a robust supply chain from mine-to-battery, combining Northern Graphite’s mining and processing operations with Rain Carbon’s carbon science expertise. The project aligns with the principles of the circular economy, aiming to reduce industrial waste and enhance the consortium’s leadership in sustainable battery materials innovation.
Northern Graphite Corporation is a Canadian company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. It focuses on producing natural graphite and upgrading it into high-value products critical to the green economy, including anode material for lithium-ion batteries and other advanced industrial technologies.
Rain Industries Limited is a global supplier of carbon-based and chemical products essential for various industries. The company focuses on upcycling industrial by-products into high-value carbon products and intermediate chemicals used in multiple applications, including energy storage and industrial technologies.