Why This Alaska Graphite Project Just Became a Geopolitical Game-Changer

Graphite One dropped a bombshell on November 13: their Graphite Creek deposit in Alaska isn’t just sitting on graphite—it’s loaded with rare earth elements (REEs) too. We’re talking about the five REEs that power everything from EV motors to military defense systems.

The Play: Dodging China’s Chokehold

Here’s the thing—China controls roughly 70% of global REE production and has been tightening export restrictions like a vice. Last year they imposed limits; in 2025 they’ve cranked it up even further. For the US, Graphite Creek suddenly looks less like a mining project and more like a strategic insurance policy.

Geochemical testing found elevated concentrations of heavy rare earths, including neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, terbium, and samarium. The kicker? They can extract these as a byproduct while mining graphite—meaning two critical materials from one deposit.

The Infrastructure Bet

Graphite One isn’t building just a mine. The full play involves:

• Mining at Graphite Creek (north of Nome)
• Transport via Nome port
• Processing at an advanced materials plant in Warren, Ohio
• Co-located recycling facility to recover materials

The US government is clearly all-in: $37.5 million Defense Production Act Title III grant, plus $895 million in non-binding letters of interest from EXIM Bank. Translation: Washington sees this as critical to national security.

What’s Next

Testwork continues at University of Alaska Fairbanks and with a DOE national lab on REE extraction methods. The numbers will determine feasibility, but strategically, this project just moved from “nice to have” to “must have” on the Pentagon’s checklist.