A graphite project in central Alabama is moving through a busy stretch of environmental review, technical planning and leadership changes. Westwater Resources, Inc. (NYSE American: WWR) says its Coosa Graphite Mine remains on a federal permitting timetable that targets completion in June 2027, while the company has also started early mine planning and hired an experienced executive to lead the project.
Coosa is intended to become a long-term domestic source of natural graphite for Westwater’s nearby Kellyton Graphite Processing Plant. The company describes the deposit as the largest and most advanced natural flake graphite deposit in the contiguous U.S., covering roughly 41,965 acres about 30 miles west of Kellyton. Graphite is an essential material in lithium-ion battery anodes, and Westwater’s broader plan is to connect mining, processing and battery-material production within the United States.
The project is being reviewed under FAST-41, a federal framework designed to coordinate environmental reviews and permitting among participating agencies. Westwater says the federal Permitting Dashboard currently shows a target completion date of June 2027 for the Coosa permitting process.
One notable development involves the Endangered Species Act consultation. That process has concluded ahead of the FAST-41 schedule after environmental fieldwork, habitat assessments and coordination with relevant agencies.
The company has also moved beyond the public-comment stage for its Clean Water Act Section 404 permit application. Westwater submitted the application to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in June, and the agency is now reviewing the comments it received.
Other environmental work has advanced as well. Cultural-resource fieldwork is complete for the proposed project footprint, including acreage connected to the planned tailings-disposal area. Westwater says no sites were identified as potentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. Wetland and stream assessments are also complete, and the company has submitted materials to help determine which wetlands and streams fall under federal jurisdiction.
Permitting does not stop at the federal level. Westwater submitted its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit application to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management during the first quarter. The state agency is conducting a technical review of information covering proposed mining and processing methods, water treatment and discharge controls.
Westwater also submitted its state water-quality certification application in June. The application has been accepted and is moving through Alabama’s review process.
These approvals matter because a mine cannot simply begin construction once a company decides to build one. Developers must demonstrate how they will manage water, protect sensitive habitats, handle discharge and avoid unnecessary impacts to cultural and natural resources. The pace of those reviews can shape when, or whether, a project reaches construction.
Alongside permitting, Westwater has started preliminary mine planning and design work at Coosa. The studies will examine the potential value of vanadium mineralization at the site and whether it should be included in the mine plan.
Vanadium is a metal used in steel production and, increasingly, in certain types of large-scale batteries. Its presence at a graphite project does not guarantee economic value, but evaluating it during early planning could give Westwater a clearer view of Coosa’s potential product mix and development options.
Westwater has appointed Dr. Anne Duncan as General Manager of the Coosa Graphite Mine, effective October 26th. She brings more than 35 years of experience in chemical and materials engineering, with work spanning refining, operations and project execution across five continents. Her prior employers include Syrah, Hatch and Rio Tinto Aluminum.
Executive Chairman Terence Cryan said Duncan’s appointment comes at an important point in the project’s development. She holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Auckland, a master’s degree in Metallurgy and Materials Science from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Engineering in Physics from McMaster University.
The next phase for Coosa will likely center on regulatory reviews, technical studies and decisions about how the mine plan should treat both graphite and vanadium. Westwater says it will continue working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alabama regulators, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other stakeholders as the process advances.
For a company trying to build a domestic graphite supply chain, steady permitting progress is only part of the equation. The project still needs to complete reviews, finalize development plans and prove that its mine and processing operations can work together economically. But the recent update shows that Coosa is no longer just a deposit on paper: it is moving through the practical stages of planning, review and operational preparation.Â
