EcoGraf Limited (ASX: EGR; FSE: FMK) has been granted a life-of-mine Special Mining Licence (SML) for its Epanko Graphite Project in Tanzania by the Government on 3rd March 2025.
The SML733/2025, issued for 25 years, is a key regulatory milestone for the financing of Epanko and expands the mining area from 9.6 km² to 18.9 km², covering a 5.5 km strike length of the graphite deposit with an average orebody width of 200m.
The licence supports the financing process for the first stage of development, which includes a 73,000 tonnes per annum graphite processing plant.
EcoGraf has engaged KfW IPEX-Bank to structure and arrange up to USD 105 million in senior debt financing for the construction of the project.
The new SML allows for expanded production capacity, positioning Epanko to meet the increasing global demand for natural graphite in electric mobility and clean energy storage.
EcoGraf also presented its plans for a Midstream development in Tanzania at the recent Tanzanian Mining and Investment Conference in Dar es Salaam.
The proposed facility will process Epanko’s natural flake graphite into Spherical Graphite (SPG), supporting Tanzania’s ‘2030 Value-Addition’ strategy.
The facility aims to be the first graphite value-addition project in Tanzania and among the first in Africa, with backing from the EU Commission.
The Epanko Graphite Project
The Epanko project holds an updated mineral resource estimate of 290.8Mt at 7.2% TGC, making it the largest development-ready graphite mineral resource in Africa.
The Epanko Ore Reserve is 82% classified as Proven, enhancing confidence in metallurgical factors such as process recoveries, flake size, and concentrate grades.
EcoGraf is building a vertically integrated battery anode materials business to produce high-purity graphite products for the lithium-ion battery and advanced manufacturing markets, starting with high-quality natural flake graphite from Epanko.
