ProjectCritical mineralsGoes mixed

Nouveau Monde Graphite: Matawinie mine and Bécancour plant

Nouveau Monde Graphite's Matawinie graphite mine at Saint-Michel-des-Saints and its planned anode plant at Bécancour, Quebec. In June 2025 the US Export-Import Bank issued a non-binding letter of interest for US$172 million, among more than US$1 billion in letters of interest; the Government of Canada has an offtake arrangement with the company (October 2025), and the project was referred to the Major Projects Office on 13 November 2025. NMG declared a final investment decision on the mine on 15 May 2026 and launched construction on 19 May; a decision on the Bécancour plant, which would supply Panasonic Energy, was targeted for the second half of 2026.

Status

Under construction

Direction

Mixed: Can go more than one way.

Capacity

106 kt/yr graphite concentrate (Matawinie); Bécancour anode plant 13 kt/yr

Where

Quebec

Investment decision

15 May 2026

Owners

• Nouveau Monde Graphite as of 27 September 2026

Events

• 19 May 2026Nouveau Monde Graphite launches construction of the Matawinie graphite mine, with Prime Minister Carney at the ground-breakingActionInvestment decisionQuebec2 sources
• 13 May 2026An Atikamekw territory guardian from Manawan states his opposition to the Matawinie mineStatementStatementCanada / Quebec1 source
• 13 November 2025Second tranche of projects referred to the Major Projects Office (over C$56B), including Ksi Lisims LNG and the North Coast Transmission LineDocumentRegulationCanada2 sources
• 31 October 2025G7 Critical Minerals Production Alliance: Canada announces 26 investments, partnerships and measures meant to unlock C$6.4B of critical-minerals projects, with partners from nine countries including the USDocumentAgreementInternational3 sources
• 11 June 2025US Export-Import Bank (EXIM) letter of interest for US$172M to Nouveau Monde Graphite (Matawinie/Bécancour, Quebec), part of over US$1B in letters of interestDocumentFinancingUnited States2 sources
• 12 December 2024Manawan signs a confidential impact and benefit agreement with Nouveau Monde GraphiteActionAgreementCanada / Quebec1 source
• 16 February 2021Manawan denounces Quebec's authorization of the Matawinie mine as 'a step backward for reconciliation'StatementStatementCanada / Quebec1 source
• 11 December 2020Manawan council says the Matawinie graphite mine, as proposed, lacks social acceptability in the communityStatementStatementCanada / Quebec1 source