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Zentek Forms U.S. Joint Venture to Position Its Albany Ultra-High-Purity Graphite in the North American National-Security Supply Chain

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partnership

Zentek (NASDAQ: ZTEK) formed U.S.-based Strategic Graphite Partners LLC, a joint venture with ALO Graphite Partners, to position Albany ultra-high-purity graphite in U.S. energy, defense, and national-security supply chains.

The JV is 90% owned by Zentek USA and 10% by ALO Partners. Zentek also granted 100,000 stock options to consultants supporting industry and government engagement.

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Positive

  • Creates U.S. joint venture Strategic Graphite Partners focused on energy and defense markets
  • Zentek USA owns 90% of the new JV, retaining majority control
  • Albany graphite purified bench scale to 5N+ (99.9992% Cg) nuclear-grade specification
  • Consulting deals add U.S. industry and government relations expertise to support JV goals
  • Stock options vest based on ALO Partners’ capital contribution milestones to the JV

Negative

  • Grants 100,000 stock options at C$0.56, introducing potential shareholder dilution

News Market Reaction – ZTEK

+25.56% 3.7x vol
24 alerts
+25.56% Session close to close
+22.7% Peak Tracked
-3.0% Trough Tracked
$56.59M Market Cap
3.7x Rel. Volume

In the Jun 26 session, ZTEK gained 25.56%, reflecting a significant positive market reaction. Argus tracked a peak move of +22.7% during that session. Argus tracked a trough of -3.0% from its starting point during tracking. Our momentum scanner triggered 24 alerts that day, indicating elevated trading interest and price volatility. Trading volume was very high at 3.7x the daily average, suggesting strong buying interest.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Context

The stock surged +25.6% in the session following this news. A strong positive reaction aligns with p...
Analysis

The stock surged +25.6% in the session following this news. A strong positive reaction aligns with prior partnership news that saw gains of about 16%. The JV’s U.S. footprint and nuclear-grade graphite purity support the move, though future capital needs or execution setbacks could temper enthusiasm.

Key Figures

JV ownership – Zentek: 90% JV ownership – ALO Partners: 10% Stock options per consultant: 50,000 options +5 more
8 metrics
JV ownership – Zentek 90% Zentek USA Inc. stake in Strategic Graphite Partners LLC
JV ownership – ALO Partners 10% ALO Graphite Partners LLC stake in the JV
Stock options per consultant 50,000 options Granted to each of two consultants under omnibus long-term incentive plan
Option term 24 months Exercise period for granted stock options
Option exercise price C$0.56 per share Exercise price for consultant stock options
Graphite purity grade 5N+ (99.9992% Cg) Bench-scale purified Albany graphite consistent with nuclear-grade specs
Graphite purity 99.9992% Cg Ultra-high-purity Albany graphite carbon content
U.S. graphite import reliance 100% imported United States reliance on imported natural graphite

Previous Partnership Reports

1 past event · Latest: Apr 14 (Positive)
Same Type Pattern 1 events
Date Event Sentiment 24h Move Catalyst
Apr 14 Strategic partnership Positive +16.1% Three-year GCC partnership to manufacture and distribute ZenGUARD HVAC filters.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

Limited tag-specific history suggests partnership announcements have previously coincided with positive share reactions.

Key Terms

ultra-high-purity graphite, nuclear-grade, offtake, stock options
4 terms
ultra-high-purity graphite technical
"Albany ultra-high-purity graphite in energy, defense, and national-security markets."
Ultra-high-purity graphite is a form of carbon that has been refined to remove almost all impurities, leaving extremely pure graphite used where tiny contaminants would cause failure or reduced performance. For investors it matters because this grade commands higher prices, is critical for advanced batteries, electronics and certain industrial or nuclear uses, and supply shortages or production changes can strongly affect companies in those supply chains.
nuclear-grade technical
"purified at bench scale to 5N+ (99.9992% Cg) consistent with nuclear-grade specifications"
Nuclear-grade describes materials, components or processes built and certified to the strict safety, quality and traceability standards required for use in nuclear power or other radiation-controlled settings. Think of it like parts stamped safe enough for an airplane: they cost more, take longer to make and require formal inspections, but they reduce technical and regulatory risk; investors watch for nuclear-grade claims because they affect product pricing, supply timelines and legal compliance.
offtake financial
"support U.S. customer engagement and material qualification, offtake discussions, strategic industry"
An offtake is a contract where a buyer commits in advance to purchase a company’s future output—such as raw materials, energy or finished goods—often at agreed volumes and prices. For investors, an offtake provides predictable revenue and lowers the risk that production will go unsold, similar to a long-term subscription or pre-order that helps a factory or mine secure funding and plan operations with greater confidence.
stock options financial
"Zentek has granted each consultant 50,000 stock options, exercisable for 24 months"
Stock options are agreements that give a person the right to buy or sell a company's stock at a specific price within a certain time frame. They are often used as a reward or incentive, similar to a coupon that can be used later if the stock price rises, allowing the holder to make a profit.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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New U.S. joint venture Strategic Graphite Partners LLC to advance allied-sourced Albany ultra-high-purity graphite for U.S. energy, defense, and national-security markets.

Guelph, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 26, 2026) - Zentek Ltd. (TSXV: ZEN) (NASDAQ: ZTEK) ("Zentek" or the "Company") today announced it has formed Strategic Graphite Partners LLC ("Strategic Graphite Partners" or the "JV"), a joint venture with ALO Graphite Partners LLC ("ALO Partners").

Joint Venture Structure and Terms

Strategic Graphite Partners was formed to establish a United States footprint for Zentek's Albany ultra-high-purity graphite in energy, defense, and national-security markets. The JV is 90% owned by Zentek USA Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Zentek, and 10% owned by ALO Partners, a company owned and controlled by Perkin Industries and Jeremy Roenick.

The JV's initial mandate is to support U.S. customer engagement and material qualification, offtake discussions, strategic industry engagement, U.S. government relations, and the evaluation of potential U.S. federal and allied government funding opportunities for allied-sourced Albany material. Albany has not been contributed to the JV.

In connection with the arrangement, Zentek has entered into consulting agreements with Jeremy Roenick and Nicolas Perkin to support the Company and the JV with strategic industry engagement, U.S. government relations, and related services. Pursuant to the Company's omnibus long-term incentive plan, Zentek has granted each consultant 50,000 stock options, exercisable for 24 months at a price of C$0.56 per common share. The options vest in tranches based on ALO Partners achieving aggregate capital contribution milestones to the JV.

A North American Solution to an Allied-Sourcing Gap

Graphite is a designated critical mineral in the United States, Canada, and allied nations, and is classified among U.S. strategic defense critical minerals. Today, ultra-high-purity and nuclear-grade graphite processing sits overwhelmingly outside the NATO-aligned world, and the United States continues to source most of its natural graphite from non-allied suppliers.

The United States is 100% reliant on imported natural graphite and mines none domestically, and China has supplied close to half of those imports in recent years (U.S. Geological Survey). Accessing the federal and allied funding now directed at rebuilding this industry requires qualified, allied-sourced material and a presence inside the U.S. value chain. That is the gap Strategic Graphite Partners is built to close. Albany's material is not commodity flake or battery-anode graphite. It has been purified at bench scale to 5N+ (99.9992% Cg) consistent with nuclear-grade specifications and is intended for the highest-specification end of the market, where buyers qualify material rather than purchase on volume.

"Strategic Graphite Partners gives allied-sourced Albany material a footprint inside the U.S. value chain, where it can be qualified by U.S. customers and emerging government-supported programs," said Moe Jiwan, CEO of Zentek. "Albany remains a 100% Zentek-owned Canadian asset."

"Over the last couple of years, Perkin Industries has shifted towards US-based infrastructure investments, including those in critical elements of National Defense. In analyzing this transaction, it became clear to us that unrestricted access to military grade graphite is not a "nice to have" - but a "must have," for our National Security," said Nic Perkin, Chairman and CEO of Perkin Industries.

"I have spent my career on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border, and that partnership has always been our greatest strength," said Jeremy Roenick. "Giving American energy and defense customers a secure, allied source of the highest-grade graphite is exactly the kind of work I want to be part of. Albany is that source, and Strategic Graphite Partners is how we put it in the hands of the customers who need it."

About Zentek Ltd.

Zentek Ltd. is a Canadian intellectual property development and commercialization company advancing a portfolio of graphene-enabled and advanced material technologies across clean air, next-generation materials, and critical minerals. Core platforms are Albany Graphite, ZenGUARD™, and Triera. Albany is the principal critical minerals asset, advancing toward a PEA targeted for completion in summer 2026.

About ALO Graphite Partners LLC

ALO Graphite Partners LLC is the U.S. vehicle through which Jeremy Roenick and Nic Perkin are partnering with Zentek in Strategic Graphite Partners. Roenick is a Hockey Hall of Fame inductee who played 20 seasons in the NHL. Since retiring, he has been active in business and investment across consumer, technology, and sports ventures. Perkin is Chairman and CEO of Perkin Industries, a New Orleans-based holding company focused on long-term partnerships with cash-generating small and mid-sized businesses. He previously co-founded The Receivables Exchange, an electronic marketplace for commercial receivables, and helped build Massive Incorporated, which was acquired by Microsoft in 2006.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the formation, purpose, terms, and objectives of Strategic Graphite Partners LLC; the establishment of a United States footprint for Albany material; the intention to pursue U.S. federal and allied government funding and offtake agreements; and the Albany Preliminary Economic Assessment. References to U.S., Canadian, allied, and NATO government programs, appropriations, and policy describe the broader market and policy environment; they do not constitute any commitment, award, offtake, membership, or funding to Zentek or the JV. Although Zentek believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Zentek disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For more information:
Mohammed (Moe) Jiwan
Chief Executive Officer, Zentek Ltd.
T: 416-709-8876
E: mjiwan2@zentek.com
W: www.zentek.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/302887

FAQ

What is the Strategic Graphite Partners joint venture that Zentek (NASDAQ: ZTEK) announced on June 26, 2026?

Strategic Graphite Partners LLC is a U.S. joint venture formed to advance Zentek’s Albany ultra-high-purity graphite into U.S. energy, defense, and national-security markets. According to Zentek, the JV provides a U.S. footprint for customer engagement, material qualification, and potential federal and allied funding opportunities.

How is the Zentek Strategic Graphite Partners joint venture structured and who owns it?

According to Zentek, Strategic Graphite Partners is 90% owned by Zentek USA and 10% by ALO Graphite Partners. This structure keeps Albany graphite as a 100% Zentek-owned Canadian asset while giving the material a presence inside the U.S. value chain and customer base.

What role will Albany ultra-high-purity graphite play in U.S. defense and energy supply chains through ZTEK’s JV?

Albany graphite is intended for high-specification markets, including energy and national-security uses. Zentek reports it has been purified at bench scale to 5N+ (99.9992% Cg), consistent with nuclear-grade specifications, enabling qualification by U.S. customers and emerging government-supported programs via Strategic Graphite Partners.

Who are ALO Graphite Partners, Perkin Industries, and Jeremy Roenick in Zentek’s Strategic Graphite Partners JV?

ALO Graphite Partners owns 10% of the JV and is controlled by Perkin Industries and Jeremy Roenick. According to Zentek, Perkin and Roenick also have consulting agreements to support strategic industry engagement, U.S. government relations, and related services for the company and the joint venture.

What stock options did Zentek grant in connection with the Strategic Graphite Partners joint venture?

Zentek granted Jeremy Roenick and Nicolas Perkin 50,000 stock options each, exercisable for 24 months at C$0.56 per share. According to Zentek, these options vest in tranches tied to ALO Partners achieving aggregate capital contribution milestones to the Strategic Graphite Partners JV.

Why is Zentek’s Albany graphite described as ultra-high-purity and how is it different from commodity graphite?

Albany material is not classified as commodity flake or battery-anode graphite. According to Zentek, it has been purified at bench scale to 5N+ (99.9992% Cg), aligned with nuclear-grade specifications, targeting the highest-specification end of the market where buyers qualify material rather than purchase mainly on volume.