The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kitgum, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Blencowe Resources, a UK-based firm undertaking the Orom-Cross graphite project in Northern Uganda has received full Mineral Services Partnership (MSP) accreditation.
The partnership is a global initiative promoting transparency and best practices in mineral resource reporting to enhance investor confidence and industry credibility.
14 major mining companies backed the accreditation of Blencowe Resources and it was unanimously approved at a forum meeting in New York recently.
The recognition now solidifies Orom-Cross graphite’s position as a premier graphite project globally.
“We are thrilled to achieve Mineral Service Partnership accreditation, demonstrating our commitment to international standards and transparency,” said Dan Michael Komakech, the Public Relations Officer of Consolidate Africa Limited, the subsidiary of Blencowe Resource.
Komakech noted that the endorsement enhances the firm’s credibility with top-tier off-takers and investors in the global mining sector.
He disclosed that the accreditation will increase access to potential new funding sources under the Orom-Cross Graphite project, global exposure, improved project visibility, attractiveness to investors and boost the mineral supply chains aiming at facilitating the clean energy transition.
Christopher Arwai Obol, the Kitgum District Chairperson, welcomed the development, saying this is giving more hope not only to the district but the entire population that the Orom graphite project will soon benefit them.
Blencowe acquired the Orom-Cross Graphite Project mining license in 2019 for 21 years through the acquisition of a 100 percent owned Ugandan subsidiary (Consolidated Africa Resources).
The project lies in Akurumor Parish, Orom East Sub-county, Kitgum district, covering an area of approximately 2093 hectares of land.
Geologists estimate the graphite deposit is between two to three billion tons and can be extracted for more than 50 years.
Currently, Consolidated Africa Limited and Blencowe Resources are in the final stages of definitive feasibility studies in anticipation of commencing commercial graphite production in the first quarter of 2025.
Nabil Alam, the Country Manager (Uganda) of the Orom-Cross Graphite project had in an earlier interview anticipated the final Definitive Feasibility Study would be completed towards the 3rd Quarter of this year.
According to Nabil, the firm would later be in a position to decide to mine and also commence the construction phase.
Early this year, the shipment of 600 tons of raw graphite from the site in Orom East Sub-county sparked an uproar and debate among the local leaders in Acholi who questioned the motives behind the bulk shipment.
In April, the Acholi Paramount Chief David Onen Acana II told journalists that the shipment of the graphite tagged as samples raised eyebrows since commercial production hadn’t yet commenced.
“I understand thousands of tons of graphite were extracted and taken wherever it was taken in the names of being samples. if thousands of tons can only be samples, then graphite is a mineral that is very difficult to deal with I believe,” he said.
Acana noted that the firm had sidelined some leaders in the Orom graphite project despite being key stakeholders.
“If anything, any kind of leadership whether be it traditional or religious leaders, and political should be involved, they should all get the knowledge about what is happening so that we can advise and guide our people accordingly,” said Acana.
Nabil however explained that the raw graphite ore was a bulk sampling programme essential to analyse the graphite in great detail to design the plant and facilities and set up the end market (the eventual buyers of the graphite).
“To obtain offtake agreements we must send physical samples of our material to the end buyers for evaluation,” he told Uganda Radio Network.
He said shipping the samples to China is based on the fact that it holds a virtual monopoly on the supply of graphite worldwide and therefore holds a wealth of expertise and facilities.
A total of 10 villages in Akuromor Parish Orom East Sub-county consisting of 293 households have been affected by the Orom-cross Graphite mining project. The affected persons have signed a 49-year leasehold agreement with African Consolidated Limited for the graphite project.
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