TORONTO, ONTARIO – Canadian-based Alabama Graphite Corp. is one step closer to beginning its planned mining operation in Coosa County near Weogufka.
The company this week announced receipt of a required National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Construction Storm Water General Permit from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) for potential discharges associated with exploration activities necessary to complete a feasibility study for its Coosa Graphite Project.
The Clean Water Act and Federal regulations require construction site operators to obtain NPDES permit coverage for regulated land disturbances and associated discharges of storm water runoff to state waters. The company believes a significant portion of the project area will meet such requirements and could bring some 75 new jobs to the area in early phases, quickly expanding to meet additional market demands.
An excellent conductor of heat and electricity, graphite is particularly important for production of lithium-ion batteries, which power modern devices from cell phones to electric cars. According to Alabama Graphite’s business development director, lithium-ion batteries actually contain 10 times more graphite than lithium.
According to the company, this would be the only natural flake graphite project in the contiguous United States. Today, 100% of the graphite used in the U.S. is imported from China.
Jeremy Law for SylacaugaNews.com | © 2016, SylacaugaNews.com/Marble City Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
