Germany is turning to Madagascar in its search for critical minerals as Europe accelerates efforts to reduce dependence on China for materials used in electric vehicle batteries and clean energy technologies.
Canadian mining company NextSource Materials said German government geoscientists recently visited its Molo graphite mine in Madagascar as part of a wider assessment of the country’s graphite industry.
The visit, carried out by Germany’s Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, highlights how Western governments are increasingly looking to Africa for alternative supplies of battery minerals as geopolitical tensions reshape global supply chains.
Graphite is a crucial raw material in lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems. China dominates both graphite mining and processing globally, creating growing concern in Europe and North America over supply security.
NextSource said German officials were evaluating whether Madagascar could become a reliable source of natural graphite and anode materials for Germany’s industrial sector and the broader European battery market.
