The lure of Madagascar’s graphite

The lure of Madagascar’s graphite

NextSource Materials’ Molo Graphite project is WhyAfrica’s Pick Of The Week.

By Leon Louw founder of WhyAfrica and editor of the WhyAfrica magazine.   

Madagascar’s high-quality graphite has positioned the island nation well as an emerging player in the global graphite market.

The Tulear region, and more specifically the Toliara province, in the southwest of Madagascar is known for its high-grade flake graphite deposits.

It is here that Canadian listed NextSource Materials operates the Molo Graphite Mine. The company delivered its first shipment of SuperFlake graphite concentrate to Germany and the USA in October last year. NextSource Materials’ Molo Graphite project is WhyAfrica’s first 2025 Pick Of The Week.

The Molo Graphite Mine

The Molo Graphite Mine is located about 160km southeast of the port city of Toliara and 13km northeast of the village of Fotadrevo.  Full container loads of high-quality, coarse flake graphite concentrate from Molo were exported from the Port of Tulear, under existing offtake agreements.

According to Craig Scherba, President and CEO of NextSource, these initial container shipments of SuperFlake graphite were destined for key demand markets for higher value graphite products, including refractory materials and graphite foils for consumer electronics and fire-retardant applications.

High quality graphite

The graphite deposits in the Tulear region are primarily large-flake graphite, which is highly sought after for use in batteries, particularly for electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage.

Madagascar’s graphite is often described as having high purity and large particle size, making it suitable for various applications, including the production of anode material for lithium-ion batteries.

Other key graphite regions in Madagascar includes the Vatomandry Region in eastern Madagascar and Ambohimirahavavy in Central Madagascar.

Geology in Madagascar

The graphite deposits in Madagascar are mostly found in metamorphic rocks. These rocks have undergone significant pressure and temperature changes over millions of years, creating ideal conditions for the formation of graphite. The deposits tend to be concentrated in certain areas, making them more easily exploitable.

Uses and other African producers

Graphite is a critical component of lithium-ion batteries, which are widely used in Electric Vehicles (EVs), making Madagascar’s deposits strategically important.

Several African countries are major producers of graphite. The key African producers of graphite include Mozambique, Tanzania, South Africa, Kenya, Zambia and Nigeria.

To read more about the natural resources of Madagascar, graphite in Africa and exploration projects, visit the WhyAfrica website (https://www.whyafrica.co.za/)

WhyAfrica gathers on the ground information and provides you with strategic business intelligence about Africa. At the same time, we promote and market your business while telling your African story.

If Africa is your business and your company plans to expand its African footprint, partner with us. For more information contact WhyAfrica on email, WhatsApp or give us a call. Contact details on the WhyAfrica website.

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The lure of Madagascar’s graphite