CENTENNIAL, Colo., September 17 2018 – Westwater Resources, Inc. (“Westwater,” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: WWR), an energy materials development company, is pleased to announce that it has engaged two expert organizations, Metpro Management Inc. and Polaris Laboratories, LLC to propel the development of its battery-ready graphite business. These relationships will assist the company’s plan to begin generating revenues in the 4th quarter of 2020. Additionally, once process testing is completed, Westwater should be able to use a greater selection of graphite feedstocks for its planned products.
Westwater has engaged Metpro Management Inc. (“Metpro”) of Peterborough, Ontario to assist in the development of its graphite purification and concentrate enhancement process. Oliver Peters, President of Metpro, has consulted to over two dozen graphite companies including work with the Coosa Graphite Project’s prior owners. Westwater has engaged Mr. Peters to assist in the development of its graphite-purification pilot study with particular emphasis on process metallurgy.
Westwater has also engaged Polaris Laboratories, LLC (“Polaris”) of Beaverton, Oregon. Polaris provides all manner of electrical conductivity testing, cell design and product development services to the battery industry working closely with material developers and end use OEM’s. WWR has engaged Polaris as an independent lab to perform critical conductivity testing of its Coosa Graphite Project materials as part of its customer prequalification program. These independent third-party tests are an important part of gaining customer acceptance and commercialization of Westwater’s battery graphite products.
“The development of our pilot plant and production facility are critical path tasks for the Coosa Project.” said Christopher Jones, President and CEO of Westwater Resources. “The extensive experience and expertise of Metpro and Polaris are important additions to our technical services base, putting us on plan for production. We have already discussed these relationships with several potential customers, and the response has been more than gratifying - they are as excited as we are.
“Particularly Metpro has a great advantage in that they have already worked at the Coosa property and are very familiar with all aspects of the project. Both Metpro and Polaris are leading experts in graphite materials, with Metpro having extensive purification experience and Polaris focusing on the use of these materials in rechargeable battery electrodes. These capabilities will greatly assist Westwater in our marketing efforts.”
Westwater’s business plan is well served with this additional expertise. Key components of this plan are:
· Development of a battery graphite purification and post-processing pilot plant during 2018 and 2019;
· Securing a source of premium graphite concentrate for plant start up and operations until 2026 when the mine is scheduled to be built;
· Designing and constructing a graphite purification and post-processing facility based on pilot plant results in 2020; and
· Developing three battery graphite products for sale to the growing battery sector:
o Purified Micronized Graphite (ULTRA-PMG) conductivity-enhancement products for the lithium-ion, primary-lithium, lead-acid and alkaline battery markets
o Delaminated Expanded Graphite (ULTRA-DEXDG) premium conductivity-enhancement products for the Li-ion, primary-lithium, lead-acid, and alkaline battery markets
o Coated Spherical Purified Graphite (ULTRA-CSPG) premium anode products for the Li-ion battery market
Westwater Resources is working to develop a domestic, made-in-USA battery-graphite business as its first priority, as well as explore for lithium in the western United States. WWR also holds a portfolio of uranium production and exploration properties in Texas and New Mexico.