Australian-based EcoGraf (WKN A2PW0M / ASX EGR) is not only focusing on building a battery value chain at its Epanko graphite project in Tanzania, but is also highlighting the question of how by-products from processing can be utilized in the future. To this end, the company, led by Managing Director Andrew Spinks, has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) and Betolar Plc. The aim of the cooperation is to conduct studies to examine whether mineral tailings from mining at Epanko can be used for the mass production of low-carbon construction products.
At its core, the project involves the practical recycling of residues generated during the processing of graphite. EcoGraf emphasizes that the company has already identified indications of additional uses for the mineral residues from previous investigations—including within the framework of the Amira program for the sustainable development of tailings dams. The new MOU is intended to systematically further develop these approaches.
EcoGraf and Epanko: What Residues Arise During Production
A central starting point of the cooperation is the expected volume of waste rock or “tailings” from the planned production at the Epanko graphite project. EcoGraf expects to generate an average of approximately 0.9 million tonnes of tailings per year during the first ten years of Stage 1 production. This forecast is linked to a Phase 1 capacity of 73,000 tonnes per year.
The figures illustrate why tailings management at Epanko is not just a technical requirement, but can also represent a potential lever for additional value creation. If a relevant proportion of the residues can be used as a raw material in other industries, this could, according to EcoGraf, address several effects simultaneously: less material remaining in heaps or tailings structures over the long term, potentially lower environmental liabilities over time, and an improved overall balance of site operations.
EcoGraf is not formulating a finished business plan, but rather a testing program: feasibility is to be assessed in technical, commercial, and environmental studies. Any possible commercial implementation would—as noted—be subject to later agreements and the respective corporate approvals of the partners.
GTK and Betolar: Expertise for Circular Economy and Construction Products
Each partner brings a specific role to the studies. The Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) is a Finnish government agency that provides independent research, data, and expert services related to geology, raw materials, and sustainable materials. In the cooperation, GTK is expected to contribute expertise specifically in the area of tailings management—the very field that is crucial for the safe and responsible handling of residues in mining projects.
Betolar, in turn, positions itself as a technology provider for the circular economy in construction materials. Betolar works on solutions to convert industrial waste streams and by-products into low-carbon construction products. At the center of this is the commercialized Geoprime® binder technology, which—according to company information—can significantly reduce CO2 emissions and enable cement-free concrete solutions. Within the logic of the MOU, it will be examined whether tailings from graphite processing can serve as a suitable feedstock for such applications.
The cooperation thus links mining residues with a major end market—the construction sector. EcoGraf sees potential added value in exactly this: a classic disposal and safety task could become an additional material stream that can be converted into more sustainable construction products.
Why EcoGraf is Intensifying the Topic Now – and How It Fits into the EU Agenda
EcoGraf explicitly places the project in the context of sustainability and the circular economy. Possible benefits mentioned include lower long-term environmental liabilities, lower emissions, reduced water consumption, and improvements in safety and environmental performance at the site. At the same time, the company points out that the initiative is in line with EU and Finnish circular economy goals and recycling regulations.
The timing is also noteworthy: EcoGraf is placing the new partnership alongside another development from the same week. Previously, the company had already announced a cooperation agreement with the European Investment Bank https://goldinvest.de/graphit-made-for-europe-europaeische-investitionsbank-begleitet-ecograf-auf-dem-weg-zur-umsetzung/, which provides technical support for Epanko and a planned midstream facility for mechanical processing in Tanzania—with the aim of supporting integration into the European battery anode value chain. Against this background, the tailings MOU acts as a supplement that emphasizes the sustainability and circularity aspects alongside supply chain and industrial integration.
For EcoGraf, this means that parallel to the development of the Epanko graphite project and the planned processing steps, it is also being examined how by-products can be transferred into new applications. Should feasibility be confirmed, this could not only change operational processes but also expand the scope for “secondary” value streams—although EcoGraf has not yet provided specific economic figures here.
In summary, EcoGraf is announcing a structured testing partnership focused on a clearly defined topic: the utilization of large quantities of tailings from Epanko as a potential feedstock for low-carbon construction products. The next steps are to be prepared through studies and the acquisition of funding—only then will it be decided whether a viable commercial project can emerge from this.
