Blencowe Resources Selects 100-Acre Uganda Site for Future Orom-Cross Graphite Downstream Processing Operations
London-listed Blencowe Resources has selected the preferred location for the future downstream processing facilities linked to its Orom-Cross graphite project in Uganda.
Following an extensive site assessment and evaluation process, the company has secured an option to purchase a 100-acre site located approximately 35 km north of Gulu in northern Uganda.
The site is intended to become the base for downstream operations that will upgrade Orom-Cross graphite concentrate into higher-value purified graphite products.
The agreed purchase price for the site is $70 000, with a 30% deposit payable to secure the purchase option.
The option agreement is valid for an initial six-month period, with a further three-month extension available.
Blencowe said the acquisition cost is modest and supports its phased approach to developing downstream processing capacity.
The company highlighted the site’s strong infrastructure advantages, including direct access to a large modern electrical substation connected to Uganda’s hydroelectric power network.
This includes access to power generated from the Karuma Falls Hydropower Station, as well as a reliable permanent water supply.
Reliable and affordable energy is considered a critical requirement for graphite beneficiation, and Blencowe believes the selected location provides an optimal foundation for achieving a low-cost operating profile as downstream production capacity expands.
The size of the site also provides sufficient space to accommodate future growth as both the Orom-Cross graphite project and the planned beneficiation facility are developed.
The site selection aligns with Blencowe’s previously announced downstream development strategy and ongoing engineering studies.
The proposed facility is expected to enable the company to move beyond graphite concentrate sales and produce higher-value upgraded products, including spheronised purified graphite and expandable graphite.
These products are central to Blencowe’s strategy of increasing market flexibility, improving pricing potential and positioning Orom-Cross as a potential source of non-China graphite supply for international markets seeking secure and scalable alternatives.
Blencowe is now advancing environmental and social impact assessments for the site while refining infrastructure and development cost estimates.
Blencowe executive chairperson Cameron Pearce said securing the preferred downstream processing location near Gulu represents an important milestone in the company’s strategy to develop Orom-Cross into more than a traditional graphite concentrate project.
“Securing a preferred downstream processing site near Gulu is an important step in Blencowe’s strategy to build Orom-Cross into more than a conventional graphite concentrate project,” Pearce said.
“Our long-term objective is to capture more of the value chain in Uganda through the production of upgraded graphite products, including spheronised purified graphite and expandable graphite.”
He added that the site’s access to hydro-linked power, water infrastructure and sufficient land provides the company with the flexibility to develop downstream capacity in stages as market demand and commercial partnerships progress.
“This is strategically important for Blencowe, for Orom-Cross and for Uganda. In-country beneficiation has the potential to support higher-value product sales, local skills development, industrial growth and stronger alignment with Western markets seeking secure, scalable non-China graphite supply,” Pearce said.
The development forms part of Blencowe’s broader ambition to establish Orom-Cross as an integrated graphite project capable of supplying value-added products to global battery and industrial markets.
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