Westwater Resources Files Key Environmental Permit for Coosa Graphite Project

Westwater Resources has submitted a critical environmental permit application that advances development of its flagship Coosa Graphite Project in Alabama. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit application, filed with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, authorizes regulated discharge of treated stormwater and other permitted water associated with mining operations under the U.S. Clean Water Act.

The application includes comprehensive site-specific engineering, hydrologic, and environmental analyses designed to demonstrate compliance with federal and state water quality standards. Alabama regulators will now conduct a technical evaluation followed by a public notice and comment period as part of their established review procedures.

This permitting milestone is strategically significant for Westwater's vertical integration strategy in the battery-grade graphite sector. The company aims to integrate the Coosa deposit as the primary feedstock source for its Kellyton Graphite Processing Plant currently under construction in east-central Alabama. The Coosa deposit spans 41,965 acres and is positioned as the largest and most advanced natural flake graphite deposit in the contiguous United States.

The timing aligns with growing focus on domestic critical mineral supply chains and reducing dependence on foreign graphite sources. As battery demand continues expanding, particularly for electric vehicles and energy storage applications, securing environmental approvals for domestic graphite production represents a crucial step toward establishing U.S. supply chain resilience in this strategic material.