Graphite is used in lots of things, ranging from dry lubricants to foundry facings, from electrodes to batteries, as a moderator in nuclear reactors, and for making carbon-fiber materials for sports equipment, aerospace equipment, and much more. Graphite is a vital, strategic material, and we have it, right here in Alaska. In fact, one of the nation's largest graphite resources is in western Alaska, at a place called, rather unsurprisingly, Graphite Creek. Now, a new look at that location indicates that some strategic rare-earth materials may be found with the graphite.
America's largest deposit of graphite could also be an important source of the rare earth elements essential to automotive, defense, and high-tech manufacturing, according to new testing of garnet-rich zones running through Graphite One Inc.'s Graphite Creek deposit in western Alaska.
In April, Graphite One finalized a Pentagon-supported feasibility study detailing plans for a financially robust mine at Graphite Creek and a processing plant in Ohio. The study outlines a 20-year operation producing 175,000 metric tons of graphite annually. The deposit considered for this mine only accounts for about 12% of a roughly 10-mile-long trend of graphite- and garnet-bearing mineralized zone identified at the project.
Now, new analyses of garnet-bearing schist within the planned pit area reveal elevated levels of five of the rare earths used in powerful permanent magnets – neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, terbium, and samarium – along with scandium and yttrium used in high-performance alloys.
Why is this important? At present, China produces roughly 80 percent of the world's graphite. China is also a major producer of rare earth minerals, and in China as in Alaska, those are often found co-located with graphite, thanks to a certain gemstone: Garnet.
"Garnets are known for their ability to uptake heavy rare earths and yttrium into their mineral structure," said Graphite One Chief Geologist Kirsten Fristad.
The rare earths found within the deposit, which are essential for the magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and precision-guided munitions, elevate Graphite Creek to a potential polymetallic source of six of the elements on the final 2025 critical minerals list published by the U.S. Geological Survey last week.
"Given the robust economics of our planned complete graphite materials supply chain, the presence of rare earths at Graphite Creek suggests that recovery as a by-product to our graphite production will maximize the value," said Graphite One President Anthony Huston.
Turns out garnets aren't just for cheap jewelry anymore.
Read More: New Rare-Earth Magnet Factory Touted As Key to US Independence From China
Chinese Economic Coercion, Rare Earth Minerals, and Tariffs: Decouple Now or Never
The Graphite Creek project isn't in the easiest place in the world to get to, not that this is unusual in Alaska. It is located north of Nome, on the north side of the Kigluaik Mountains. It's a ways from the Teller Highway - not really a highway as such, mostly a one-lane gravel road from Nome to Teller. As of this writing, it's unclear if any new roads will be built.
Something doesn't have to be easy to be worth doing, though. Here in the Great Land, terrain and distance often present difficulties. But these can be overcome - and if reducing our dependence on China for strategic minerals is the result, then this is more assuredly worth the effort.
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