Star Metro - Focus Graphite Advanced Materials Joins The Military Power Sources Consortium And The American Carbon Society

OTTAWA, ON / ACCESS Newswire / April 1, 2025 / Focus Graphite Advanced Materials Inc. (TSXV:FMS)(OTCQB:FCSMF)(FSE:FKC) ("Focus" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its membership in the Military Power Sources Consortium and the American Carbon Society, reinforcing its commitment to strengthening North America's critical mineral supply chain. As a longstanding member of the U.S. Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC), Focus continues to invest in strategic initiatives that support the onshoring of high-quality natural flake graphite for defense, energy storage, and advanced technology applications. With the U.S. government prioritizing domestic graphite supply and committing substantial funding to North American projects, Focus Graphite's 100% owned high-purity Lac Knife and Lac Tétépisca projects ("Projects"), located in Québec, Canada, are well-positioned to play a pivotal role in securing this essential material for military and industrial use.

The Military Power Sources Consortium ("MPSC") is a non-profit dedicated to representing the needs of the entire life cycle of the domestic military power production base. The mission of the MPSC is to provide a forum for members to share information and develop a collective voice on issues related to preserving and enhancing the domestic design, development, and manufacture of energy generation and storage systems, both renewable and none-renewable, and their components for the Department of Defence ("DoD"). The MSPC provides a unified voice for the issues and challenges of the domestic military production base to DoD, Department of Energy ("DoE"), and other industry groups, recommends solution to the issues and challenges, ensure industry representation from traditional and non-traditional defence contractors, and bring together academia, industry, and the DoD.

Critical Metals, including natural flake graphite, are considered essential for the U.S. defense industrial base, and the U.S. Government is engaged in strategic planning, initiatives, and funding to ensure it can access and onshore domestic capabilities and supply. Benchmark Minerals analysis shows that the U.S. will fall short of meeting most of its critical mineral needs, even if all announced projects come online as planned. One of the largest areas for concern is flake graphite, for which there is no domestic source forecast for 2030 ⁽¹⁾.

Over the past two years, the Department of Defense ("DoD") has awarded a combined total of US$45.85 million to advance North American natural flake graphite projects ⁽²⁾⁽³⁾ . The Company has engaged with the DoD in connection with advancing its two 100% owned high-purity graphite Projects in Québec, Canada, and exploring potential non-dilutive financing awards. Graphite is classified as a critical mineral by the U.S. government, owing to its use in military, batteries, EVs and long duration energy storage. Graphite is also used in semiconductors and nuclear applications. Focus is prioritizing the qualification of high-value advanced materials where high-quality natural flake graphite is required due to its unique and superior graphite quality.

The American Carbon Society, formerly the American Carbon Committee, was established in 1957 with the express purpose of organizing U.S. conference on carbon. Today, the aims and scope of the American Carbon Society are considerably more diverse than those envisioned by its founders. The Society promotes interdisciplinary research on the fundamentals and applications of carbon materials. Moreover, the Society organizes and/or sponsors the triennial International Conference on Carbon, the world's most important meeting of researchers in all areas of carbon science and technology.

"Joining the Military Power Sources Consortium and the American Carbon Society underscores our commitment to securing North America's critical mineral supply chain," said Dean Hanisch, Chief Executive Officer of Fosus Graphite Advanced Materials. "As a longstanding member of the U.S. Defense Industrial Base Consortium, we recognize the urgency of onshoring high-quality natural flake graphite to support national security and advanced technologies. With our high-purity Lac Knife project already through the feasibility process and the significant scale potential of Tétépisca project, we are strategically positioned to contribute to this effort. We look forward to collaborating with industry leaders and government agencies to drive innovation and strengthen domestic supply resilience."

Appointment of Vice President, Corporate Development
The Company is also pleased to report the appointment of Jason Latkowcer, MBA, as Vice President of Corporate Development. Born in Montreal, Québec, Mr. Latkowcer is an accomplished executive with over 14 years of experience in corporate and business development, capital markets, and strategic partnerships. He has played a key role in facilitating multiple transactions and strategic expansions, from private to public markets, and has been directly involved in raising tens of millions in financing. Additionally, he has successfully secured multi-million-dollar government grants to support corporate growth and innovation.

Mr. Latkowcer has extensive experience in capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate finance, with a strong network that includes institutional investors, private equity firms, and high-net-worth individuals. His expertise spans across corporate strategy, sales, and marketing, where he has successfully implemented tactical approaches at local, regional, and international levels. With significant experience in chemical distribution, he has developed expertise in adhering to strict product specifications and managing unique applications, skills that are directly aligned with Focus Graphite Advanced Materials' strategic focus on the commercialization of specialized material for innovative uses.

Jason is an alumnus of the University of Ottawa (2010) and holds an Executive MBA from the Quantic School of Business and Technology (2023). He has also earned graduate certificates from the Yale School of Management in Sustainable Finance and Investment, and from Harvard Business School in Finance.

Jason Latkowcer, commented, "I'm excited to join Focus at such a transformative time for the company and the North American critical minerals sector. The urgency to secure domestic supply chains has never been greater. I look forward to immediately applying my expertise to accelerate our momentum and drive key partnerships forward. The industry's trajectory is undeniable, and Focus is leading the charge in this critical transformation."

About The Military Power Sources Consortium
For more information on the MPSC, please visit https://milpwr.org

About the American Carbon Society
For more information on the American Carbon Society, please visit https://www.americancarbonsociety.org

About Focus Graphite Inc.
Focus Graphite Advanced Materials is redefining the future of critical minerals with two 100% owned world-class graphite projects and cutting-edge battery technology. Our flagship Lac Knife project stands as one of the most advanced high-purity graphite deposits in North America, with a fully completed feasibility study. Lac Knife is set to become a key supplier for the battery, defense, and advanced materials industries.

Our Lac Tétépisca project further strengthens our portfolio, with the potential to be one of the largest and highest-purity graphite deposits in North America.

At Focus, we go beyond mining - we are pioneering environmentally sustainable processing solutions and cutting-edge battery technologies, including our patent pending proprietary silicone-enhanced spheroidized graphite technology, designed to enhance battery performance and efficiency. Our commitment to innovation ensures a chemical-free, eco-friendly supply chain from mine to market.

Collaboration is at the core of our vision. We actively partner with industry leaders, research institutions, and government agencies to accelerate the commercialization of next-generation graphite materials. As a North American company, we are dedicated to securing a resilient, locally sourced supply of critical minerals - reducing dependence on foreign-controlled markets and driving the transition to a sustainable future.

For more information on Focus Graphite Inc. please visit http://www.focusgraphite.com

Investors Contact:
Dean Hanisch Jason Latkowcer
CEO, Focus Graphite Inc. VP Corporate Development
[email protected][email protected]

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could," "intend," "expect," "believe," "will," "projected," "estimated," and similar expressions, as well as statements relating to matters that are not historical facts, are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current beliefs or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events.

In particular, this press release includes forward-looking information regarding the validation testing of Focus Graphite's proprietary anode materials, the expected performance and commercial viability of these materials, the Company's positioning as a potential supplier for Gigafactory projects worldwide, the expected timeline for advancing the Lac Knife graphite project through the final stages of permitting and into production, and the Company's engagement with industry and defense-related organizations, including the Military Power Sources Consortium and the American Carbon Society, to support the onshoring of critical minerals for North American supply chains.

Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks related to market conditions, regulatory approvals, changes in economic conditions, the ability to raise sufficient funds on acceptable terms or at all, operational risks associated with mineral exploration and development, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's public disclosure documents available under its profile on SEDAR+.

The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties, and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

1. https://source.benchmarkminerals.com/article/chart-can-the-us-meet-its-critical-mineral-needs-domestically

2. https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3777044/department-of-defense-awards-147-million-to-enhance-north-american-cobalt-and-g/

3. https://www.graphiteoneinc.com/graphite-one-awarded-37-5-million-department-of-defense-grant-under-the-defense-production-act/

SOURCE: Focus Graphite, Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

F.Leblanc--SMC