2026-09-08, 5:02:14 a.m.
September 8, 2026 — Leads & Copy — Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has highlighted Graphite One Inc.’s Graphite Creek Project as a potentially significant domestic source of graphite, a critical mineral for the United States, as the nation seeks to bolster its supply chains and reduce foreign dependence. Governor Dunleavy’s comments were featured in a Fox News op-ed on August 31, 2026, titled “China is holding critical minerals hostage. Alaska can help end the threat,” and subsequently in a Fox News television interview, both of which underscored Alaska’s capacity to secure U.S. supplies of minerals vital for technology and national security.
In his op-ed, Governor Dunleavy noted that Alaska possesses known resources for 57 of the 60 critical minerals designated by the U.S. government. He specifically pointed to Graphite One’s Graphite Creek Project, located north of Nome, Alaska, stating that current estimates suggest the deposit “could provide enough graphite to meet the entire nation’s needs for a century.”
The U.S. Geological Survey identifies Graphite Creek as the largest known graphite deposit in the United States and one of the largest globally. Data from the survey’s 2026 Mineral Commodity Summaries also indicates that the United States remained entirely reliant on net imports for natural graphite in 2025.
Anthony Huston, President and CEO of Graphite One, emphasized the strategic importance of the Graphite Creek Project, stating, “Governor Dunleavy’s comments underscore the strategic importance of Graphite Creek to the United States. America remains entirely reliant on imports for natural graphite at a time when secure domestic supply is becoming increasingly important to advanced manufacturing, energy technologies and national security.”
Huston further elaborated on the company’s strategy: “Graphite One is advancing a fully integrated U.S. supply chain – anchored by Graphite Creek in Alaska and advanced graphite materials manufacturing in Ohio – designed to transform a world-class American resource into secure American supply. If America is serious about reducing its dependence on foreign graphite, domestic resources must be developed at scale. That is what Graphite One is being built to do.”
Governor Dunleavy’s support for the domestic development of Graphite Creek predates his recent comments. He previously nominated the project as a federal High-Priority Infrastructure Project. In June 2025, Graphite Creek was designated a “covered project” under the federal FAST-41 permitting process, marking it as the first mining project in Alaska to be listed on the FAST-41 Permitting Dashboard. The FAST-41 process facilitates enhanced federal agency coordination, increased permitting transparency, and a structured permitting timetable for covered infrastructure projects.
Graphite Creek serves as the foundational element for Graphite One’s broader strategy to establish a comprehensive U.S.-based advanced graphite materials supply chain. This strategy encompasses mining and processing natural graphite at Graphite Creek, Alaska, transporting graphite materials via the Port of Nome, and manufacturing advanced graphite and anode materials in Ohio. The company is also exploring the potential for co-located recycling of graphite and other battery materials.
Graphite One Inc. aims to become an American producer of high-grade anode materials, integrated with a domestic graphite resource. The company’s proposed vertically integrated enterprise is designed to mine and process natural graphite, and manufacture artificial and natural graphite anode active materials primarily for the lithium-ion electric vehicle battery and energy storage markets. This integrated approach seeks to create a domestic supply chain from resource development through advanced materials manufacturing and potential recycling, supporting a circular U.S. graphite materials economy, subject to project financing.
Source: Graphite One Inc.
