London-listed Blencowe Resources has accepted an invitation to join the international SAFELOOP consortium, managed under the European Commission's €100-billion Horizon Europe Programme and focussed on the EU's renewable-energy transition.

Blencowe says SAFELOOP represents a transformative opportunity for the company and its Orom-Cross graphite project, in Uganda, positioning the project as a critical supplier in the European electric vehicle (EV) supply chain with exclusive access to premium pricing contracts, large-scale offtake commitments of up to 100 000 t/y and strategic partnerships with Tier 1 European gigafactories and EV manufacturers.

The company says these strategic advantages further validate Orom-Cross as a globally significant project and position Blencowe to play a pivotal role in the growing demand for critical EV materials.

Blencowe notes that Orom-Cross will exclusively supply natural flake graphite concentrate for all anodes used in SAFELOOP Gen3 lithium-ion batteries, providing a high-quality source for this critical component.

The company explains that SAFELOOP pricing is expected to be significantly higher for graphite than for similar concentrate sold into Asian markets.

The programme targets up to 100 000 t/y of small flake graphite at full ramp-up, providing a valuable long-term annuity income stream for Blencowe.

The company adds that close collaboration with a European gigafactory, a EV bus original-equipment manufacturer, and other key partners and potential funding parties, all present further opportunities for Orom-Cross.

Moreover, it notes that Orom-Cross graphite is to undergo EU Green Passport evaluation, enhancing other future offtake opportunities within the European and North American markets.

FURTHER DETAILS
Blencowe's US technical partner, American Energy Technologies Co (AETC), will play a pivotal role in processing Orom-Cross graphite into battery-ready anode-active materials.

Blencowe says this collaboration ensures high-quality, fully integrated production within SAFELOOP, aligning with the programme's focus on advancing European gigafactory-scale battery solutions.

AETC, an established premium performance graphite processor, has conducted over 24 months of rigorous testing on Orom-Cross end-products in the US, including pilot-scale and production-scale work, says Blencowe.

Anode materials will be produced and delivered by AETC to the SAFELOOP-designated gigafactory ASPILSAN of Kayseri, Türkiye.

ASPILSAN will manufacture Gen3 lithium-ion batteries, which will be supplied to transport manufacturing specialist, BOZANKAYA of Sincan, Türkiye, for integration into EV buses.

Blencowe says this process has confirmed the “exceptional quality” of Orom-Cross graphite, aligning it perfectly with the stringent requirements of the SAFELOOP programme.

Following a competitive evaluation, Blencowe was selected as the exclusive natural flake graphite concentrate supplier for the SAFELOOP project.

The company notes that this partnership underscores the value of Orom-Cross's graphite as a critical input for high-performance battery anodes, while also enabling robust market opportunities through secure, premium pricing contracts.

“We are delighted to join the high-profile SAFELOOP project, positioning Blencowe at the heart of Europe's transition to renewable energy. Being chosen as the exclusive natural flake graphite concentrate supplier for SAFELOOP provides a potentially huge offtake opportunity ahead that can provide a valuable annuity income stream for our company and long-term value for shareholders.

"This selection is a testament to the high quality of Orom-Cross and the critical role it will play in the EV supply chain. The association with SAFELOOP also opens significant opportunities for Blencowe to further strengthen its position as a leader in the global graphite market, once again setting our project and our company apart from our peers,” says Blencowe executive chairperson Cameron Pearce.

"We are delighted that AETC was chosen as the processor of choice for two prestigious European Commission-funded initiatives, STREAMS and SAFELOOP.

“Through these programs we are recovering, rejuvenating, and returning recycled graphite into the European lithium-ion battery supply chain, as well as processing primary feedstocks based on natural crystalline flake graphite and synthetic graphite precursors into anode active materials in advanced lithium-ion batteries for automotive applications,” says AETC manager of government relationship Anna Doninger.

"Natural crystalline flake graphite from Orom-Cross has consistently demonstrated exceptional quality in AETC's pilot and production scale test work conducted to date.

“The properties of Blencowe's concentrate align perfectly with the expected demand for the European gigafactory li-ion battery cells and exceed the EUCAR Hazard Level 3 standards for EV mobility applications, as required within SAFELOOP.

“We are delighted to be working with Blencowe on this executive action and we are confident of a successful outcome of work planned as part of SAFELOOP,” Doninger adds.