[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":746},["ShallowReactive",2],{"story-article/could-the-middle-east-become-an-anode-supply-chain-hub-":3,"ticker-data":214},{"id":4,"uuid":5,"name":6,"slug":7,"full_slug":8,"content":9,"relatedArticles":212,"relatedVideos":213},188824312534559,"28f34dd6-884f-4a75-9318-2cdda457d5ac","Could the Middle East become an anode supply chain hub?","could-the-middle-east-become-an-anode-supply-chain-hub-","article/could-the-middle-east-become-an-anode-supply-chain-hub-",{"_uid":10,"date":11,"tags":12,"editor":22,"content":32,"excerpt":172,"featured":173,"reporter":174,"component":185,"seo_title":6,"categories":186,"visibility":201,"data_vis_image":202,"featured_image":204,"seo_description":209,"formattedDate":210,"formattedArticleDate":211},"e83c7de6-5ac1-4776-bc7c-7e9b6da47a2c","2026-06-18 00:00",[13,16,19],{"slug":14,"name":15},"middle-east","Middle East",{"slug":17,"name":18},"nextsource-materials","NextSource Materials",{"slug":20,"name":21},"shinzoom","Shinzoom",[23],{"slug":24,"name":25,"content":26},"matthew-bird","Matthew Bird",{"job_title":27,"image":28,"bio":30,"linkedin":31},"Senior Editor - Supply Chains & Data Visualisation",{"filename":29},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/512x512/14738033ec/matthew-bird.jpeg","Matthew writes, edits and produces content for Benchmark Intelligence and Benchmark Source across the whole mine to grid supply chain. He also acts as a liaison to the press. He has a PhD in electrochemistry from the University of Nottingham.","https://www.linkedin.com/in/birdmatthew/",{"type":33,"content":34},"doc",[35,63,86,94,106,116,124,132,140,148,158],{"type":36,"attrs":37,"content":39},"paragraph",{"textAlign":38},null,[40,48,58],{"text":41,"type":42,"marks":43},"The ","text",[44],{"type":45,"attrs":46},"textStyle",{"color":47},"#000000",{"text":15,"type":42,"marks":49},[50,56],{"type":51,"attrs":52},"link",{"href":53,"uuid":38,"anchor":38,"target":54,"linktype":55},"https://intelligence.benchmarkminerals.com/publications/special-issues/the-middle-east-and-north-africas-pivot-to-critical-minerals-and-clean-energy-2025","_self","url",{"type":45,"attrs":57},{"color":47},{"text":59,"type":42,"marks":60}," is rapidly establishing itself as a key growth hub for the anode supply chain, underpinned by large-scale investments, strategic geographic positioning, and competitively priced energy.",[61],{"type":45,"attrs":62},{"color":47},{"type":36,"attrs":64,"content":65},{"textAlign":38},[66,71,81],{"text":67,"type":42,"marks":68},"The region’s push into battery materials reflects a broader shift as Gulf economies look to ",[69],{"type":45,"attrs":70},{"color":47},{"text":72,"type":42,"marks":73},"diversify away from hydrocarbons",[74,79],{"type":51,"attrs":75},{"href":76,"uuid":77,"anchor":38,"target":54,"linktype":78},"/article/sovereign-wealth-funds-support-the-middle-easts-pivot-to-clean-energy-supply-chains","dd5cc0ca-55e4-45c5-9b45-45e858a59fc0","story",{"type":45,"attrs":80},{"color":47},{"text":82,"type":42,"marks":83}," and position themselves within the global energy transition.",[84],{"type":45,"attrs":85},{"color":47},{"type":36,"attrs":87,"content":88},{"textAlign":38},[89],{"text":90,"type":42,"marks":91},"As of 2026, the region has no active capacity, yet Benchmark data shows that the Middle East will account for 11% of 2030 capacity for traditional anode active material (AAM) in the ex-China market, with this share remaining broadly stable through to 2035.",[92],{"type":45,"attrs":93},{"color":47},{"type":95,"attrs":96},"blok",{"id":97,"body":98},"05c286c2-dc38-4d58-8896-8f072cb96fdd",[99],{"id":100,"_uid":101,"type":102,"component":103,"fixed_height":104,"use_fixed_height":105,"fixed_height_mobile":104,"fixed_height_tablet":104},"29421155","i-21a8cd89-6073-4b40-a91c-5f3f5626dffd","visualisation","ContentFlourish","",false,{"type":107,"attrs":108,"content":110},"heading",{"level":109,"textAlign":38},2,[111],{"text":112,"type":42,"marks":113},"What recent activity has there been in the Middle East for AAM?",[114],{"type":45,"attrs":115},{"color":47},{"type":36,"attrs":117,"content":118},{"textAlign":38},[119],{"text":120,"type":42,"marks":121},"In mid-May, construction began on a 200ktpa synthetic graphite AAM facility in Sohar, Oman, backed by Zhongke Xingcheng (Shinzoom) with an investment of RMB 8bn ($1.2bn). The scale of the project places it amongst the largest planned anode facilities globally and highlights increasing Chinese participation in overseas processing capacity as companies expand beyond domestic markets.",[122],{"type":45,"attrs":123},{"color":47},{"type":36,"attrs":125,"content":126},{"textAlign":38},[127],{"text":128,"type":42,"marks":129},"In June, Shinzoom’s commitment to the region was highlighted as it cancelled two integrated anode projects it was developing in China (130ktpa and 100kpta) and a third in Morocco (100ktpa) in order to focus on the Oman project.",[130],{"type":45,"attrs":131},{"color":47},{"type":36,"attrs":133,"content":134},{"textAlign":38},[135],{"text":136,"type":42,"marks":137},"Meanwhile, NextSource Materials secured a final investment decision (FID) for Phase 1 of its proposed Battery Anode Facility (BAF) in the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi. Phase 1 capacity is expected to reach 14ktpa, set to supply Mitsubishi Chemical’s initial offtake requirement of 9ktpa of uncoated spherical graphite (USPG).",[138],{"type":45,"attrs":139},{"color":47},{"type":36,"attrs":141,"content":142},{"textAlign":38},[143],{"text":144,"type":42,"marks":145},"These developments sit within a broader regional strategy. Countries such as Saudi Arabia are deploying sovereign wealth capital and industrial policy to build out mid- and downstream battery supply chains, alongside upstream resource investments. This includes domestic plans for anode production and international investments in critical minerals. The Middle East’s advantages, including low-cost energy, access to capital, and proximity to both European and Asian demand centres, are increasingly drawing interest from global players.",[146],{"type":45,"attrs":147},{"color":47},{"type":36,"attrs":149,"content":150},{"textAlign":38},[151],{"text":152,"type":42,"marks":153},"This insight draws from Benchmark's comprehensive Graphite & Anode Service, consisting of IOSCO-assured prices, capacity assessments, forecasts and supply chain data. Bringing clarity to these opaque markets, this subscription facilitates smarter investment decisions, strategy and successful commercial outcomes. To learn more, submit your details below and our team will be in touch:",[154,156],{"type":45,"attrs":155},{"color":47},{"type":157},"italic",{"type":95,"attrs":159},{"id":160,"body":161},"8477e4ad-2608-45b4-b185-31bc84534daa",[162],{"id":163,"_uid":164,"component":165,"wrap_in_box":105,"redirect_url":166,"success_file":168,"default_height":104,"success_message":104,"v2_hubspot_form":105,"success_sub_text":104,"hidden_field_values":171,"show_on_intelligence":105},"57a99950-73f5-48be-98a4-7324c28e5d0b","i-912e9a0a-f4cb-4545-99a7-5b34278f4ec9","ContentHubspotForm",{"id":104,"url":104,"linktype":78,"fieldtype":167,"cached_url":104},"multilink",{"id":38,"alt":38,"name":104,"focus":38,"title":38,"source":38,"filename":104,"copyright":38,"fieldtype":169,"meta_data":170},"asset",{},[],"The Middle East is rapidly establishing itself as a key growth hub for the anode supply chain, underpinned by large-scale investments, strategic geographic positioning, and competitively priced energy.\n\nThe region’s push into battery materials reflects a broader shift as Gulf economies look to diversify away from hydrocarbons and position themselves within the global energy transition.\n\nAs of 2026, the region has no active capacity, yet Benchmark data shows that the Middle East will account for 11% of 2030 capacity for traditional anode active material (AAM) in the ex-China market, with this share remaining broadly stable through to 2035.",true,[175],{"slug":176,"name":177,"content":178},"tony-alderson","Tony Alderson",{"job_title":179,"image":180,"bio":182,"linkedin":183,"markets_covered":184},"Research Manager - Anode",{"filename":181},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/800x800/f521ccb976/tony-alderson.jpeg","Tony is a Research Manager at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, specialising in forward-looking models that encompass supply, demand, and pricing dynamics for anode materials. He has over 3 years experience in the battery supply chain, previously working as a Price & Data Analyst, for LiB raw materials. His background is in renewable and sustainable energy technologies, having completed an MSc at Northumbria University, Newcastle.","https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-alderson-b370b7170/","Anode","article",[187,189,192,195,198],{"slug":188,"name":184},"anode",{"slug":190,"name":191},"batteries","Batteries",{"slug":193,"name":194},"natural-graphite","Natural Graphite",{"slug":196,"name":197},"graphite","Graphite",{"slug":199,"name":200},"synthetic-graphite","Synthetic Graphite","private",{"id":38,"alt":38,"name":104,"focus":38,"title":38,"source":38,"filename":104,"copyright":38,"fieldtype":169,"meta_data":203},{},{"id":205,"alt":104,"name":104,"focus":104,"title":104,"source":206,"filename":207,"copyright":104,"fieldtype":169,"meta_data":208,"is_external_url":105},188827174644647,"Image credit: Shinzoom","https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/1080x810/5c63404b53/shinzoom-anode-ceremony.jpg",{"alt":104,"title":104,"source":206,"copyright":104},"The Middle East is rapidly establishing 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