Rain Industries Limited's wholly-owned subsidiary, Rain Carbon Germany GmbH, along with partners Northern Graphite Corporation, H.C. Starck Tungsten GmbH, and Friedrich Schiller University Jena, have announced the launch of USE-G. This three-year research and development program, largely funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, aims to develop environmentally friendly and safe graphite extraction technologies for Europe's battery industry. The initiative is designed to create new graphite processing technologies that are cleaner, less energy-intensive, and reduce Europe's dependence on Chinese supply chains. The German Ministry is contributing €1.14 million of the total €1.70 million project budget. The program will focus on developing advanced European processing routes, including the purification of natural graphite without hydrofluoric acid, safer and more sustainable coating materials, and the recovery and reuse of graphite from battery recycling. Rain Carbon Germany GmbH will develop new carbon coating materials and sustainable coating processes. H.C. Starck Tungsten GmbH will utilize its technology to extract graphite from spent lithium-ion batteries. Friedrich Schiller University Jena will lead the development of a novel purification method using chlorine gas. The USE-G program commenced on January 1, 2026, and will conclude on December 31, 2029, aiming to establish a complete, European-controlled graphite processing flow sheet.
