Mr. Dean Hanisch reports

FOCUS GRAPHITE AND C4V TO EVALUATE MINE-TO-ANODE PLATFORM COMBINING LAC KNIFE GRAPHITE WITH C4V'S GREEN ANODE TECHNOLOGY

Focus Graphite Inc. has entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Charge CCCV LLC (C4V), a U.S.-based battery technology company, to evaluate graphite concentrate from Focus's 100-per-cent-owned Lac Knife project in Quebec using C4V's proprietary automated green anode technology.

Highlights:

• Mine-to-anode platform: Focus and C4V have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to evaluate an integrated pathway by combining Lac Knife's high-purity graphite concentrate with C4V's green anode technology.
• Premium high-purity feedstock: C4V's green anode technology requires natural graphite concentrate of approximately 98 per cent carbon, a demanding feedstock specification that Lac Knife has demonstrated the ability to meet through conventional flotation.
• Commercialization potential: Successful technical validation would establish the foundation for definitive commercial agreements involving technology licensing, downstream manufacturing, customer qualification, strategic partnerships and potential offtake opportunities.
• Advanced materials strategy: The collaboration supports Focus's broader strategy to expand beyond resource development into downstream processing, advanced materials and higher-value segments of the North American supply chain.
• Strengthening allied supply chains: The collaboration combines Canadian graphite resources with American processing technology to support a secure, scalable and more resilient North American battery materials supply chain.

A North American mine-to-anode platform

C4V's green anode technology is designed to convert premium natural graphite concentrate directly into finished coated spherical purified graphite (cSPG) through a highly automated process designed to reduce water and energy consumption, chemical usage, and overall process complexity. Compared with conventional processing routes involving multiple upgrading and purification stages, the technology is intended to provide a cleaner, more efficient pathway from graphite concentrate to finished battery-grade anode material. C4V has successfully demonstrated the technology at pilot scale.

C4V's broader anode development experience includes a multiyear program focused on developing high-performance active anode materials using high-purity natural graphite feedstock. The technology has demonstrated successful development and qualification pathways for active anode material and previously supported a binding offtake agreement with a globally recognized U.S. electric vehicle (EV) and battery energy storage manufacturer (BESS) for U.S.-produced active anode material, subject to specified development, production and customer qualification conditions. The commercial pathway ultimately did not proceed as contemplated for reasons unrelated to the technical performance of the underlying anode technology. Focus was not a party to that arrangement.

C4V's green anode technology requires a high-purity natural graphite concentrate of approximately 98 per cent carbon, a demanding feedstock specification that Lac Knife has demonstrated the ability to meet through conventional flotation alone. Lac Knife's ability to produce high-purity flotation concentrate has been established through the company's 2023 National Instrument 43-101 feasibility study and further validated by its recent eight-tonne pilot-scale program, announced July 28, 2026, which produced concentrate grading up to 98.7 per cent carbon through mechanical processing, without chemical or thermal purification.

Lac Knife is one of North America's highest-grade feasibility-stage graphite deposits. The ability to begin downstream processing with a premium, high-purity concentrate has the potential to reduce processing requirements, reagent and energy consumption, shorten processing times, and improve overall manufacturing efficiency. Combined with Lac Knife's favourable purification characteristics, this provides a strong starting point for evaluating a cleaner, more efficient and potentially lower-cost pathway to finished anode material.

Under the MOU, the parties intend to complete an evaluation program to assess the technical and commercial suitability of Lac Knife graphite for processing through C4V's green anode technology. The program will examine processing performance, product consistency and electrochemical characteristics and evaluate whether Lac Knife's feedstock advantages can translate into a cleaner, more efficient and commercially competitive pathway from mine to finished battery-grade anode material, supporting future customer qualification, downstream product development and potential commercialization opportunities.

Richard Pearce, PE, technical adviser to Focus Graphite, commented: "The success of any anode manufacturing process begins with the quality of the graphite feedstock. Higher-purity concentrate has the potential to reduce downstream processing requirements, improve manufacturing efficiency and enhance overall product consistency. Lac Knife has demonstrated exceptional concentrate quality through conventional flotation, making it an outstanding candidate for evaluation within C4V's green anode technology."

"For years, the anode has been the weakest link in the battery supply chain, dependent on foreign processing and heavy chemistry to reach purity," said Dr. Shailesh Upreti, chief executive officer of C4V. "Our green anode technology was built to change that. C4V successfully demonstrated the technology through an earlier natural-graphite development program that advanced through customer qualification and ultimately supported a commercial agreement with a prominent U.S. EV and BESS manufacturer. We are excited to build on that technical foundation with Lac Knife's exceptional graphite concentrate and evaluate a cleaner, more efficient and scalable North American pathway to finished battery-ready anode material."

"North America is moving quickly to secure critical mineral supply chains from raw materials through advanced manufacturing," said Dean Hanisch, chief executive officer of Focus Graphite. "C4V's previous work has demonstrated the commercial interest that can emerge when high-quality natural graphite is successfully advanced into finished anode material. For Focus, the opportunity is to demonstrate that potential with Lac Knife. If successfully validated, this platform could position us for customer qualification, strategic partnerships and potential offtake while helping build a more secure and competitive North American anode supply chain."

Building a higher-value graphite platform

Beyond battery anode production, the collaboration also supports Focus's objective of maximizing value across the graphite processing chain. Graphite fines and other material streams generated during anode production may be evaluated as conductive additives for lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries. Previous testing by Focus and C4V demonstrated that conductive additive material produced from Lac Knife graphite improved LFP cathode electrode density relative to baseline materials, highlighting an additional opportunity to improve resource utilization and support the company's broader zero-waste development strategy.

While the green anode technology evaluation is focused on battery anode materials, it represents one component of Focus's broader advanced materials strategy. In parallel, the company is advancing a chemical-free electrothermal graphite purification process intended to produce ultrahigh-purity graphite for battery, defence, nuclear, aerospace, energy storage and other advanced industrial applications. This effort is being advanced through the company's up to $14.1-million non-repayable funding agreement under Natural Resources Canada's (NRCan) Global Partnerships Initiative (GPI).

If successful, the program could demonstrate a differentiated mine-to-anode pathway that aligns with Canada's mine-to-market critical minerals strategy by converting premium Canadian graphite into finished battery-grade anode material through a cleaner, lower-cost and scalable North American production process. The collaboration reflects Focus's strategy of evolving from a graphite developer into an integrated advanced materials company participating across the battery value chain.

Subject to successful technical validation and the execution of definitive agreements, the program could provide a foundation for expanded commercial collaboration, including technology licensing, downstream manufacturing, customer qualification, strategic partnerships and potential long-term offtake arrangements. The MOU is non-binding, and any future commercial relationship between Focus and C4V will remain subject to successful completion of the program, definitive agreements, and applicable corporate and regulatory approvals.

Qualified person

The technical content disclosed in this news release was reviewed and approved by Richard Pearce, PE, president of Brasil Insight Capital LLC, a consultant to the company, and a qualified person as defined under NI NI 43-101.

About Focus Graphite Inc.

Focus Graphite is building an integrated graphite platform to supply the industries shaping the future. Through the development of world-class graphite resources, advanced processing technologies and higher-value advanced materials, the company is positioning itself to support battery, defence, advanced manufacturing and other strategic industries across North America and allied markets.

The platform is anchored by the company's two 100-per-cent-owned graphite assets in Quebec. Lac Knife is one of North America's highest-grade feasibility-stage graphite deposits, while Lac Tetepisca is one of the largest identified graphite resources globally. Together with strategic technology partnerships and government-supported innovation initiatives, these assets provide the foundation for a secure, scalable and increasingly integrated graphite supply chain.

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