Focus Graphite has retained Construction & Expertise PG to carry out geotechnical investigations and detailed engineering for the access road to the Lac Knife graphite project in Québec. The work is part of a package of non-dilutive public funding of up to C$1,932,750, drawn from federal and provincial sources.
The new contribution comes from the Société du Plan Nord, a Québec agency. It totals up to C$554,050, is non-repayable, and covers 50% of eligible road planning and development costs. The underlying program is the northern infrastructure fund supporting the mining sector. This adds to the support previously announced by Natural Resources Canada, of up to C$1,378,700, delivered through the First and Last Mile Fund.
The two funding streams serve different purposes. The provincial money is earmarked entirely for the road. The federal funding covers preliminary planning for both the road and the electrical infrastructure needed to connect the site to the Hydro-Québec grid. The gravel, all-season road will link the deposit to Highway 389. It will be used for mine construction, personnel transport, equipment movement and, in the future, the hauling of graphite concentrate. The field program includes roughly 60 test pits along the route.
Chief executive officer Dean Hanisch said the infrastructure turns a mineral resource into a strategic asset. According to the company, support from the Québec and Canadian governments allows it to move forward while maintaining capital discipline. The TSX Venture-listed company aims to preserve resources for the broader development of the project and for its advanced materials strategy. In the preceding weeks, Focus had announced a C$2 million revolving credit facility with CIBC and the appointment of BBA to run an environmental field program on the same road.
The link to nuclear runs through graphite. Focus describes it as the foundation of an advanced materials platform serving batteries, defense, nuclear energy and advanced manufacturing in North America and allied countries. Lac Knife is one of the highest-grade graphite deposits in North America at the feasibility stage. The company’s second asset, Lac Tetepisca, is among the largest graphite resources identified worldwide. Both are 100% owned by Focus and located in Québec.
Planning road access and the power connection together reduces infrastructure uncertainty and builds the technical foundation for the future construction phase. If the project reaches construction, Québec will have a local graphite source, close to a low-carbon-intensity power grid, for supply chains that today depend on outside suppliers.
