Syrah Resources plans to resume production at its Balama graphite project in Mozambique during the first quarter, which would pave the way for lifting force majeure, CEO Shaun Verner said on Wednesday.
The company declared force majeure in December due to disruptions from farmer-led protests, worsened by civil unrest following Mozambique’s October elections. These challenges also led to a default on its US-backed loans.
“Stability in the country has improved significantly in the last few weeks,” Verner told Reuters at the Africa Mining Indaba. “We’re working to resolve the site dispute and aim to restart production this quarter, though it’s not yet certain.”
Protests that began in late September have hindered movement and disrupted operations at Balama.
On US-China trade tensions, Verner welcomed proposed tariffs, stating that existing US tariffs of 25% on Chinese anode material were a step toward leveling the playing field. “Ultimately, we need a fair competitive environment to expand supply and diversify sources into the US,” he said.
Syrah operates an anode material facility in Louisiana, supplying a key component for battery manufacturers. In December, its subsidiary, Syrah Technologies LLC, along with the North American Graphite Alliance, petitioned US authorities to investigate alleged dumping of Chinese natural and synthetic graphite anode materials.
Graphite is the largest component in an EV battery by volume, with China dominating global production.
