Albemarle Corporation held Town Hall meeting March 29
By Loretta Cozart
In a Town Hall style meeting held on Monday, March 29, Albemarle Corporation (Albemarle) executives opened dialogue with citizens about the possibility of reopening the lithium mine just south of downtown Kings Mountain.
Crowds filled council chambers and spilled over into the lobby of city hall. Those in attendance listened patiently for over an hour as Albemarle presented their plans. The challenge during this meeting was that nothing has yet been decided and testing of the mine needs to be conducted before that decision can be made.
The original mine, known once as Foote Mineral, opened in the 1930s and continued in operation under various names until the mid-1980s. After the mine closed, the property was left as it had been during mining operations, and a deep lake formed in the pit. Albemarle acquired Rockwell Lithium in 2015.
In time, some land was given to the Gateway Trail. Cardo-Hill was made from an area just north of the pit that overlooks the property. Four miles of the current trail pass through the mine and incorporates the bridge over I-85.
Mayor Neisler welcomed guests to the meeting and said, “We want to get in front of rumors of things that are happening so facts can actually get brought out. This is an exciting venture for Kings Mountain. It’s a good venture for Kings Mountain. I applaud everyone for your interest in this mine.”
Albemarle sees an opportunity to create a U.S. lithium supply chain to ensure security, efficiency, and sustainability. And Kings Mountain is an advantaged location given its industry, infrastructure, and proximity to southeastern U.S. EV manufacturing.
Eric Norris, president of lithium operations at Albemarle confirmed this saying, “It’s time to localize our supply chain.” He also
told the group that “Kings Mountain could supply materials for up to 1.5 million electric vehicles.”
In December of 2021, President Biden set a lofty goal that half of all the vehicles sold in America in 2030 will be electric. And the only way politicians are going to get behind that goal is for a more secure supply chain to exist, according to Albemarle executives. That is where Kings Mountain fits into the picture.
Due to recent announcements by Toyota, Volvo, Ford, and newcomer VinFast of Vietnam, more lithium is needed to meet the demand for batteries here in the Southeast. And it is likely those numbers will only grow, given Biden’s challenge to America.
Guests listened attentively to Trevor Chesal, manager of mine environmental permitting, as he addressed their concerns. Air and water quality were high on the priority list of questions guests brought forward. Traffic and dust also concerned the group. Because this meeting was held before any testing has begun, answers to a number of questions posed are unknown. A prefeasibility study to determine impacts to air and water quality was discussed and Chesal estimates that study will take two-years.
In the interim, Albemarle plans quarterly Town Hall meeting to continue, keeping the information flowing and allowing citizens the opportunity to ask questions throughout the process. If Albemarle decides to move ahead after the prefeasibility study is completed, pulling permits could take an additional two-years.
What is known is that the mine will impact the Gateway Trail. Four miles of the current trail, and likely including the bridge over I-85, could revert to mine operations.
Cardio-Hill, the Plateau, and the Bamboo Trail will remain a part of the Gateway Trail. Albemarle’s intent is to have the new trail constructed before the old section of the trail is closed.
Citizen Diane Boatwright asked if there would be an impact to water in wells around the city. While Albemarle does not anticipate a regional impact, they do expect that wells near the mine will need to be monitored. Assessments regarding that will be made in the prefeasibility study.
A large contingent of guests inside the council chambers were from Lake Montonia. Because the lot next to their neighborhood was purchased by Albemarle, residents were concerned regarding what is planned on that property since it is situated near the community’s dam. Alex Thompson, vice president of lithium resources, said, “There are no plans for that property today.”
He concluded the meeting saying, “We would rather address these issues openly, this is not a done deal. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and we have not even begun training for that marathon.”
While the next meeting time and place have not yet been determined, Albemarle executives said they would inform the community once the date and time are known. A larger meeting space is being sought out to accommodate the larger crowds so everyone can ask questions of executives and hear better.
In a Town Hall style meeting held on Monday, March 29, Albemarle Corporation (Albemarle) executives opened dialogue with citizens about the possibility of reopening the lithium mine just south of downtown Kings Mountain.
Crowds filled council chambers and spilled over into the lobby of city hall. Those in attendance listened patiently for over an hour as Albemarle presented their plans. The challenge during this meeting was that nothing has yet been decided and testing of the mine needs to be conducted before that decision can be made.
The original mine, known once as Foote Mineral, opened in the 1930s and continued in operation under various names until the mid-1980s. After the mine closed, the property was left as it had been during mining operations, and a deep lake formed in the pit. Albemarle acquired Rockwell Lithium in 2015.
In time, some land was given to the Gateway Trail. Cardo-Hill was made from an area just north of the pit that overlooks the property. Four miles of the current trail pass through the mine and incorporates the bridge over I-85.
Mayor Neisler welcomed guests to the meeting and said, “We want to get in front of rumors of things that are happening so facts can actually get brought out. This is an exciting venture for Kings Mountain. It’s a good venture for Kings Mountain. I applaud everyone for your interest in this mine.”
Albemarle sees an opportunity to create a U.S. lithium supply chain to ensure security, efficiency, and sustainability. And Kings Mountain is an advantaged location given its industry, infrastructure, and proximity to southeastern U.S. EV manufacturing.
Eric Norris, president of lithium operations at Albemarle confirmed this saying, “It’s time to localize our supply chain.” He also
told the group that “Kings Mountain could supply materials for up to 1.5 million electric vehicles.”
In December of 2021, President Biden set a lofty goal that half of all the vehicles sold in America in 2030 will be electric. And the only way politicians are going to get behind that goal is for a more secure supply chain to exist, according to Albemarle executives. That is where Kings Mountain fits into the picture.
Due to recent announcements by Toyota, Volvo, Ford, and newcomer VinFast of Vietnam, more lithium is needed to meet the demand for batteries here in the Southeast. And it is likely those numbers will only grow, given Biden’s challenge to America.
Guests listened attentively to Trevor Chesal, manager of mine environmental permitting, as he addressed their concerns. Air and water quality were high on the priority list of questions guests brought forward. Traffic and dust also concerned the group. Because this meeting was held before any testing has begun, answers to a number of questions posed are unknown. A prefeasibility study to determine impacts to air and water quality was discussed and Chesal estimates that study will take two-years.
In the interim, Albemarle plans quarterly Town Hall meeting to continue, keeping the information flowing and allowing citizens the opportunity to ask questions throughout the process. If Albemarle decides to move ahead after the prefeasibility study is completed, pulling permits could take an additional two-years.
What is known is that the mine will impact the Gateway Trail. Four miles of the current trail, and likely including the bridge over I-85, could revert to mine operations.
Cardio-Hill, the Plateau, and the Bamboo Trail will remain a part of the Gateway Trail. Albemarle’s intent is to have the new trail constructed before the old section of the trail is closed.
Citizen Diane Boatwright asked if there would be an impact to water in wells around the city. While Albemarle does not anticipate a regional impact, they do expect that wells near the mine will need to be monitored. Assessments regarding that will be made in the prefeasibility study.
A large contingent of guests inside the council chambers were from Lake Montonia. Because the lot next to their neighborhood was purchased by Albemarle, residents were concerned regarding what is planned on that property since it is situated near the community’s dam. Alex Thompson, vice president of lithium resources, said, “There are no plans for that property today.”
He concluded the meeting saying, “We would rather address these issues openly, this is not a done deal. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and we have not even begun training for that marathon.”
While the next meeting time and place have not yet been determined, Albemarle executives said they would inform the community once the date and time are known. A larger meeting space is being sought out to accommodate the larger crowds so everyone can ask questions of executives and hear better.