Westwater Resources Announces Issuance of U.S. Patent for Graphite Purification Technology at Kellyton Graphite Plant

CENTENNIAL, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Westwater Resources, Inc. (NYSE American: WWR) an energy technology and critical minerals company, focused on developing battery-grade natural graphite (“Westwater,” “Westwater Resources,” or the “Company”), has received U.S. Patent Number 12,415,731 for innovative graphite purification methods. This patent, awarded by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, is a significant milestone in Westwater’s technological advancement and reinforces the Company’s dedication to sustainable, domestic graphite production.

“We’re proud to reach this milestone after five years of the patenting process with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office,” said Terence Cryan, Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board of Westwater Resources. “This patent protects our environmentally-friendly purification technology and underscores Westwater’s leadership as the most advanced, U.S.-based producer of battery-grade natural graphite. We are dedicated to helping supply the critical minerals that the U.S. needs to support energy independence.”

In August 2020, Westwater Resources filed its first patent application for the proprietary method of graphite purification to be employed at the Kellyton Graphite Processing Plant. This innovative process offers a more sustainable alternative to traditional purification techniques often used in China and other countries. Unlike conventional methods that frequently rely on hydrofluoric acid, Kellyton’s Phase 1 process completely avoids the use of this hazardous substance. Instead, Westwater’s patented process relies on a more environmentally-friendly approach to produce high-purity graphite, positioning the Company as a leader in sustainable production of battery-grade natural graphite.

About Westwater Resources, Inc.

Westwater Resources is an energy technology and critical minerals company that is focused on developing battery-grade natural graphite. Westwater Resources’ primary project is the Kellyton Graphite Processing Plant that is under construction in east-central Alabama. In addition, Westwater Resources’ Coosa Graphite Deposit is the largest and most advanced natural flake graphite deposit in the contiguous United States — and is located across 41,965 acres (~17,000 hectares) in Coosa County, Alabama. For more information, visit westwaterresources.net.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are identified by words such as “innovative,” “significant,” “most advanced,” “more sustainable,” “frequently,” “completely,” and other similar words. Forward looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the method of purifying graphite at the Kellyton Graphite Plant. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information, which is not a guarantee of future performance and is subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the control of the Company and discussed in Westwater’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and subsequent securities filings.