Pomerleau begins work on record-breaking $653M graphite mine in Quebec

Key takeaways:

• The Matawinie Mine project represents Canada’s first end-to-end graphite operation from extraction to refinery and will be the largest graphite facility in North America once completed.
• The construction phase will span twenty-four months and involve primary partners like Pomerleau, Manawan-Fournier, Beauce Atlas, and Metso to build the processing plant, water treatment facilities, and site access infrastructure.
• Both the mine and its companion processing plant will run entirely on Quebec’s renewable hydroelectricity to establish a zero-emission production model supported by heavy federal financing and a seven-year supply agreement.

The Whole Story:

Construction has officially begun on Nouveau Monde Graphite’s Matawinie Mine, six months after the project was referred to the federal Major Projects Office. Once completed, the mine will be North America’s largest graphite operation, producing up to 106,000 tonnes annually to supply electric vehicle batteries, energy storage systems, and advanced manufacturing. Officials say the project represents a significant milestone in Canada’s effort to secure critical minerals supply chains and reduce reliance on foreign sources.

Bringing this massive project to life requires a multi-stage, 24-month civil and industrial engineering endeavor. Initial construction work focuses on extensive site preparation, including land clearing, rerouting an 8-kilometer heavy-haul access road to connect the site to Highway 131, and establishing robust water management infrastructure.

Crews will then transition to building the core industrial facilities, erecting the massive ore-processing concentrator plant, a commercial-scale water treatment plant, and specialized co-disposal tailings facilities designed for progressive environmental restoration. As the build advances, the focus will shift to structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering to prepare the site for a final six-month commissioning and testing phase.

Pomerleau has been appointed as Construction Manager to oversee worksite logistics, quality control, and the deployment of the industrial platform. For the massive earthworks and open-pit preparation, NMG has partnered with Manawan-Fournier—a joint venture between the local Manawan Atikamekw Band Council and L. Fournier & Fils. Additionally, Quebec-based Beauce Atlas will engineer and erect the structural steel buildings, while global mining tech leader Metso is supplying the advanced processing equipment, including the ore crushing station and flotation cells.

Nouveau Monde Graphite will seamlessly integrate the mine with a battery material processing plant in Bécancour, Québec, creating Canada’s first end-to-end graphite operation from extraction to refinery. Both facilities will operate on Québec’s renewable hydroelectricity, enabling an all-electric production model that reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional graphite supply chains. To support this zero-emission vision, the later stages of construction will involve installing specialized, high-capacity charging infrastructure required to power a heavy-duty electric fleet, including electric-powered loaders and haul trucks.

The mine is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs and attract nearly $2 billion in investment. The federal government has committed $459 million in financing through Export Development Canada and the Canada Infrastructure Bank, building on a $113 million strategic commitment from the Canada Growth Fund announced earlier. The government will also provide $4.4 million through Natural Resources Canada’s Energy Innovation Program to deploy the electric-powered heavy equipment at the site.

The federal government has entered into a seven-year offtake agreement to purchase 30,000 tonnes annually of graphite concentrate from the mine, securing supply for Canada and its partners while protecting the company from market fluctuations.

“Canada has what the world wants – and we’re moving at speed to get it to market,” Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a statement. “The Matawinie Mine will position Canada as a choice supplier of graphite in a world where demand is rapidly outpacing supply.”

The Major Projects Office, launched last year, has referred 22 projects worth over $126 billion in investment. The office coordinated four federal departments and agencies to streamline financing, permitting, and approval processes for the Matawinie project.

In 2024, the Conseil des Atikamekw de Manawan signed an Impact Benefit Agreement with Nouveau Monde Graphite covering collaboration on culture, environment, training, employment, and financial benefits.