KELLYTON, Ala. — Alabama is poised to become a national leader in graphite production with the construction of the Kellyton Graphite Processing Plant in Coosa County, a $245 million project expected to bolster U.S. manufacturing of electric vehicle batteries and other green energy technologies.
The project, led by Colorado-based Westwater Resources and its subsidiary Alabama Graphite Products LLC, marks the first large-scale graphite refining plant in the U.S. Graphite is an essential material used in lithium-ion batteries, improving conductivity and durability for electric vehicles, electronics, and renewable energy equipment. An average electric vehicle battery requires around 175 to 200 pounds of graphite, with some models needing even more.
Construction of the plant began several years ago and has advanced steadily, with approximately 85% of equipment delivered and critical infrastructure installed as of mid-2025. The facility is designed to initially produce 7,500 metric tons of battery-grade graphite annually, with plans to expand capacity to 15,000 tons. It is expected to create around 100 permanent jobs paying an average of $21.15 per hour.
This project is strategically located in the Lake Martin Regional Industrial Park near Kellyton, leveraging Alabama’s rich natural graphite deposits in the historic “Alabama Graphite Belt.” Westwater Resources holds mineral rights to nearly 42,000 acres in Coosa County and anticipates starting mining operations by 2028 to supply the plant with raw material.
Governor Kay Ivey has praised the project as a major economic and industrial boost for Alabama, noting it complements the state’s growing electric vehicle manufacturing sector, which includes facilities from Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai. The plant also received significant state incentives, including tax credits and infrastructure support, to facilitate its development.
Westwater’s CEO Chris Jones emphasized the environmental and strategic benefits of domestic graphite production. Unlike much of the graphite currently imported from China—where extraction methods have raised environmental and labor concerns—the Kellyton plant uses a proprietary, more sustainable purification process that avoids harmful chemicals commonly utilized elsewhere.
The U.S. government has designated graphite a critical mineral due to its role in national security and economic competitiveness. By building this plant, Alabama is positioning itself at the forefront of critical mineral supply chains, reducing U.S. reliance on foreign sources and supporting the transition to cleaner energy technologies.
As electric vehicle demand surges and global efforts intensify to combat climate change, Alabama’s Kellyton plant represents a key step in developing resilient, homegrown supply chains for battery materials essential to the green energy economy.