Quebec, May 20 -- Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday announced the start of construction on Nouveau Monde Graphite's Matawinie Mine in Quebec, a project the government said will become the largest graphite mine in North America and the G7.

The project is part of Canada's broader push to strengthen domestic critical minerals production and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains, particularly as global demand for battery materials rises.

Nouveau Monde Graphite plans to integrate the mine with a battery material processing plant in Becancour, Quebec, creating what the company and government described as Canada's first fully integrated graphite operation.

The government also announced a seven-year agreement to purchase 30,000 tonnes o...