US Critical Mineral Push: How Loans Are Reshaping the Battery Metals Landscape

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(SeaPRwire) –   By: Robert Kensington

Westwater Resources (WWR) made waves last Friday, closing 87.7% higher after news emerged of a $25 million loan from the U.S. Export-Import Bank. This funding is earmarked for WWR’s Alabama graphite mine, which, if completed, would mark the first source of natural graphite in the United States. Graphite is the most voluminous metal used in lithium-ion batteries, and the U.S. currently relies solely on synthetic graphite derived from petroleum coke, a byproduct of oil refining. Battery manufacturers favor natural graphite for specific applications, making a domestic supply chain here strategically invaluable.

Then there’s 5E Advanced Materials (FEAM), which secured an $8 million Ex-Im loan to expand boron production at its California facility. Boron was added to the U.S. critical minerals list last year, with applications in nuclear energy, body armor, and defense products. The California project is set to begin commercial production in 2028, though the U.S. still imports most of its boron needs. Meanwhile, Global Advanced Metals, a private company, landed $25 million to expand processing of tantalum and niobium. Neither mineral is mined in the U.S.; Global sources them in Australia and processes them in Pennsylvania. Tantalum is crucial for smartphone and automotive capacitors, while niobium is used to harden steel for pipelines and aircraft.

The total $58 million in funding across these three companies ties directly to President Trump’s push to reduce U.S. reliance on Chinese critical mineral supplies. WWR’s stock spike occurred almost entirely in the final hour of trading, suggesting the Reuters report hit late in the day. FEAM, however, didn’t experience a comparable move. This isn’t just about short-term stock gains. It’s a strategic bet to build domestic supply chains for critical materials essential to sectors like energy storage and defense. The Export-Import Bank chairman emphasized fortifying supply chains and safeguarding against supply shocks. But the real test lies in whether these projects can ramp up production quickly enough to impact the global market. For now, the U.S. is clearly doubling down on diversifying its critical mineral sources, a move that could reshape the landscape of battery metals and beyond. Author bio: Robert Kensington, overseas entrepreneurial veteran with decades of experience in real-economy industrial investment and expansion.