Westwater Resources’ Coosa County graphite plant has received approval for a $25 million federal loan as the Trump administration moves to strengthen domestic critical mineral supply chains.
The Export-Import Bank of the United States approved the direct loan to support continued construction of Westwater’s Kellyton Graphite Plant in central Alabama.
The financing was part of $58 million in three critical mineral deals announced Friday at President Donald Trump’s Critical Minerals Roundtable at the White House. EXIM also approved projects involving tantalum and niobium in Pennsylvania and boron in California.
America is taking back control of its critical mineral supply chains. 🇺🇸
During @POTUS’ Critical Minerals Roundtable, President Trump announced $58M in EXIM financing for Westwater Resources (@WWR_Inc), 5E Advanced Materials (@5EAMaterials), and Global Advanced Metals to… pic.twitter.com/Xe8aayEx9S
— U.S. Export-Import Bank (@EximBankUS) August 7, 2026
“Critical mineral security is national security,” EXIM Chairman John Jovanovic said. “These deals are a large part of EXIM’s strategy to fortify our supply chains, restore crucial industries that support well-paying American jobs, and safeguard everyday Americans from supply shocks.”
Westwater said Monday that the $25 million loan will help fund construction, equipment installation, commissioning and preparations for operation at the Kellyton facility. The company is targeting commercial production in 2027.
Phase I of the plant is designed to produce approximately 12,500 metric tons of coated spherical purified graphite annually, a material used in lithium-ion battery anodes. Westwater expects the facility to support approximately 100 permanent jobs.
“This non-dilutive financing represents a significant milestone for Westwater and an important federal commitment to building a secure domestic supply chain for battery-grade natural graphite,” Westwater Executive Chairman Terence Cryan said.
The project has been under development for several years.
Yellowhammer News reported in 2021 that Westwater initially approved a $202 million investment for the first phase of the Kellyton facility, located in the Lake Martin Regional Industrial Park. At the time, production was projected to begin in 2023.
The company said in May that approximately $130 million had been invested in Phase I and estimated its total cost at approximately $245 million. Westwater said obtaining additional financing remained a key step toward completing construction.
Westwater is also advancing its separate Coosa Graphite Deposit, located approximately 30 miles from the Kellyton plant. The company plans for the deposit to eventually provide a domestic source of natural graphite for processing at Kellyton.
The federal loan was approved through EXIM’s Make More in America Initiative, which provides financing for domestic manufacturing projects tied to strategic U.S. supply chains.
Sawyer Knowles is a state and political reporter for Yellowhammer News. You may contact him at [email protected].
