Kings Mountain Lithium Material Processing Plant Project Completes Federal Permitting
Contact Information
Permitting Council Press Office (media@permitting.gov)
WASHINGTON (March 30, 2026) – The Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) is pleased to announce the latest FAST-41 mining project to complete federal permitting— the Kings Mountain Lithium Material Processing Plant project. This North Carolina-based mining project is expected to play a critical role in strengthening domestic supply chains, supporting the production of essential materials used in everything from smartphone and tablet batteries to automobile airbags, pharmaceuticals and agriculture.
“This marks the 12th mining project to complete federal permitting through FAST-41, and the first completed project in the State of North Carolina,” said Permitting Council Executive Director Emily Domenech. “Developing America’s natural resources is critical to America’s economic resilience and national security, and provide secure supply chains for industries across the economy.”
“America’s national and economic security depends on utilizing the untapped potential of the natural resources we have in our own backyard. By completing the federal permitting process for the Kings Mountain Lithium Mine Project, the Permitting Council has demonstrated how smart, targeted policy can make government a true partner to industry by delivering more predictable timelines and increasing transparency. I am grateful to the Trump administration, the Permitting Council, and Albemarle for unlocking the potential of lithium here in North Carolina,” said Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.).
Located in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, this project aims to resume open pit mining and expand the footprint of a site that is one of the few known hard-rock lithium deposits in the U.S. Project sponsor Albemarle expects the project to play a critical role in establishing a U.S. supply of lithium.
“As one of North America’s largest hard-rock lithium resources, the Kings Mountain Mine has the potential to play a key part in building a U.S.-based lithium supply chain,” said Scott Hutchins, Senior Director, Business Readiness for Albemarle Corporation. "Federal approval is a noteworthy milestone in the project’s permitting process as we continue to engage with local and state entities to obtain their respective approvals. We thank the Permitting Council, National Energy Dominance Council, Department of War, and Department of Energy for their diligence and support to propel this project forward.
The Department of Energy led federal permitting for this project. Learn more about the Kings Mountain Lithium Material Processing Plant project on the Federal Permitting Dashboard.
About the Permitting Council and FAST-41
Established in 2015 by Title 41 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41), the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) is a federal agency charged with improving the transparency and predictability of the federal environmental review and authorization process for certain critical infrastructure projects. The Permitting Council is composed of the Permitting Council Executive Director, who serves as the Council Chair; 13 federal agency Council members; and the Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. The Office of the Executive Director coordinates federal environmental reviews and authorizations for projects that seek and qualify for FAST-41 coverage, which are in turn entitled to comprehensive permitting timetables and transparent, collaborative management of those timetables on the Federal Permitting Dashboard.
Learn more about the Permitting Council at permitting.gov.
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Last Updated: Monday, March 30, 2026