Graphite One Awarded Defense Logistics Agency Program to Evaluate Domestically Sourced Advanced Carbon Materials from its Graphite Creek Deposit for High-Temperature Defense Thermal Management Applications

Graphite One Inc. (GPH) has been awarded a program by the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to develop and evaluate domestically sourced advanced carbon materials from its Graphite Creek deposit for high-temperature defense thermal management applications. The initiative is a partnership with Idaho National Laboratory and technical consultants to demonstrate the performance of domestic carbon-based composite materials.

This marks the third defense logistics development agreement received by the company since 2023. The project supports Graphite One's broader domestic supply chain strategy, which includes resource extraction, logistics, advanced processing, and material recovery, subject to project financing. Management emphasized the strategic importance of the program in strengthening supply chain resilience and meeting rigorous high-temperature performance requirements.

Graphite One Inc. (GPH) has received a Department of Defense Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) program award, a development that validates the company’s strategy to establish a fully integrated, U.S.-based graphite supply chain. This announcement follows the company’s history of securing support from the DLA and the Department of Defense, which previously included a $37.5 million Defense Production Act (DPA) grant and a $4.7 million DLA contract.

The award serves primarily as a technological validation and a step toward qualifying domestic materials for defense applications. It does not introduce new capital, change the project timeline, or alter the financial outlook. The requirement for project financing remains a critical bottleneck, meaning the award does not immediately de-risk the company's cash burn or execution timeline.

Graphite One Inc. (GPH) is a pre-revenue critical minerals company focused on developing the Graphite Creek Project in Alaska, which the USGS recognizes as the largest known natural graphite deposit in the United States. The company is pursuing a vertically integrated, 100% U.S.-based supply chain strategy that includes mining graphite at Graphite Creek, transporting it via the Port of Nome, and processing it into advanced anode active materials (AAM) at a planned facility in Conneaut, Ohio.

The project has completed a feasibility study and is advancing through federal (FAST-41) and state permitting processes. Additionally, the company is exploring the recovery of heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) as a byproduct from the garnet-bearing ore, a move that could enhance the project's strategic value for defense and clean energy applications.