Name of the Project
Orom-Cross graphite project.

Location
Orom district, northern Uganda.

Project Owner/s
British mineral exploration and development company Blencowe Resources.

Project Description
The proposed graphite mining and processing project is characterised as a large, shallow openpitable deposit. 

The definitive feasibility study (DFS), released in December 2025, envisages an initial two-phase development, starting with a smaller Phase 1 operation producing up to 20 000 t/y of concentrate and micronised products.

Phase 2 will start development within two years of Phase 1 commissioning to expand mine output to up to 70 000 t/y of concentrate. 

It is planned that a downstream beneficiation facility will upgrade small flake concentrate into battery-ready 99.95% total graphitic carbon uncoated spheronised purified graphite (USPG) product, initially up to 20 000 t/y, with modular expansion aligned to the scale-up of mining.

Beyond Phase 2 production, Orom-Cross is expected to expand in stages towards 175 000 t/y of concentrate and 80 000 t/y of USPG, funded entirely by cash flow generated in house.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated in the provided DFS announcement.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The DFS reports an after-tax net present value, at a 10% discount rate, of $1.087-billion and an internal rate of return of 96% for the integrated mine and downstream beneficiation facility.

Capital Expenditure
Phase 1 is at estimated at $40-million and Phase 2 at $120-million.

Planned Start/End Date
Phase 1 is targeting first production in the first half of 2027.

Latest Developments
Blencowe Resources has signed a nonbinding letter of intent with Italian graphite processing company Alkeemia to provide toll beneficiation and purification services for graphite from Orom-Cross.

Under the agreement, graphite from Orom-Cross is expected to be processed at a purification facility, which is being developed by Alkeemia, in Italy, giving Blencowe access to cleaner, lower-toxicity processing technology and an alternative to conventional Chinese purification routes. The arrangement supports Blencowe’s downstream strategy as the project advances towards production.

Alkeemia has allocated up to 1 000 t/y of initial processing capacity to Blencowe, with scope for expansion as operations grow. The toll treatment model enables Blencowe to access downstream markets without immediate investment in its own large-scale purification facilities.

Recent testwork has demonstrated that Orom-Cross graphite can be purified to 99.99% carbon content using Alkeemia’s proprietary technology. The graphite meets the highest commercially accepted purity standards and qualifying the product for specialist end-markets requiring ultrahigh-purity material. The process is reported to be simpler, faster and less toxic than traditional methods, aligning with increasingly stringent environmental and supply chain requirements in Europe and the US.

The European-based purification route supports policy objectives aimed at securing critical mineral supply chains and reducing reliance on Chinese-controlled processing. It also strengthens Blencowe’s engagement with European offtakers, strategic partners and funding institutions, where local processing and traceability are prioritised.

The arrangement provides near-term downstream flexibility while Blencowe continues to pursue longer-term plans for in-country processing, in Uganda. It is intended to reduce development risk, preserve strategic optionality and improve access to European funding initiatives as the Orom-Cross project moves closer to production.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
CPC Engineering (DFS management and sign-off)

Contact Details for Project Information
Blencowe Resources, tel +44 1624 681 250 or email info@blencoweresourcesplc.com.