How a new Albemarle deal for its Kings Mountain lithium mine will help local nonprofits

Albemarle Corp. has agreed to deliver extracted limestone to the rock quarry next door to its proposed lithium mine in Kings Mountain, and will use royalties to support local nonprofits.

The move comes as Albemarle is preparing to submit permits to the state for approval for the mine. It’s too early in the development of the project to say how much it will cost , the company has said, but noted, ”projects like this can cost hundreds of millions of dollars.”

Martin Marietta Material , adjacent to the mine at 348 Holiday Inn Road, will process and sell limestone material for infrastructure and construction projects. The agreement calls for a royalty fee for each ton of aggregate sold by Martin Marietta to be paid to Albemarle. The cost of the royalty fees was not disclosed.

Albemarle, based in Charlotte, is the world’s largest lithium miner.

The Kings Mountain mine, about 30 miles west of Charlotte in Cleveland County, is expected to play a critical role in establishing the U.S. as a leader in electric vehicle evolution as one of the few hard rock lithium deposits in the country.

Albemarle considers it a responsibility to maximize the use of resources and help strengthen surrounding communities, Jennifer Skurski, Albemarle ’s vice president of resources development and business planning, said in a statement Wednesday.

Albemarle plans to transfer the royalties to nonprofits in Kings Mountain and the surrounding communities, according to the company.

How much money the fees will generate is unclear. Albemarle officials are still determining where the lithium is located and which rock types are suitable for processing and sale, Albemarle community affairs manager Kirsten Martin told The Charlotte Observer.

Albemarle and Martin Marietta

Albemarle and Martin Marietta’s deal is a step forward in developing the Kings Mountain mine responsibly to use its resources and raw materials, Martin said. “This agreement really plays a key part in the mine plan,” she said.

Albemarle will partner with other industries, too, that can use raw material byproducts from the mine, such as sand-like material used for ceramics and other commercial uses.

“We are exploring every opportunity to reduce impacts on our site,” Martin said.

Albemarle is preparing permits to submit to state regulatory agencies this year, and undergoing studies and social impact assessments to determine the feasibility of reopening the mine. Part of Albemarle’s plan includes repurposing byproduct materials to benefit the local economy, according to the company.

Martin Marietta , based in Raleigh with a district office in Charlotte, supplies building materials, including aggregates, cement, ready-mixed concrete and asphalt in 28 states, Canada and the Bahamas .

Officials with Martin Marietta did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

About Albemarle’s Kings Mountain mine

The Kings Mountain mine is one of the few known hard-rock lithium deposits in the U.S. Albemarle acquired the former Rockwood Holdings mine in 2015, which closed in 1988.

The dormant lithium mine is expected to initially support the manufacturing of 1.2 million electric vehicles annually, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.

Lithium — a relatively rare soft, light metal found in rocks and subsurface fluids — also powers everything from consumer electronics to life-saving medical devices, as well as strengthening glass for smartphone screens.

Being environmentally and socially responsible, Martin said, is part of “maximizing benefits to the surrounding community.”

Since 2016, Albemarle has contributed more than $2 million to Kings Mountain communities through health, wellness and cultural initiatives, as well as education, including $1 million to Cleveland Community College for workforce development programs.

Community meetings about the mine

As part of the process to reopen the mine, Albemarle also is planning several meetings with the public next month, all in Kings Mountain:

▪ 6-8 p.m. June 11, town hall meeting at H. Lawrence Patrick Senior Center, 909 E. King St.

▪ 9-11 a.m. June 15, information session at Mt. Olive Baptist Church, 146 Dixon School Road

▪ 11 am.-1 p.m. June 25, information session at Bethlehem Baptist Church, 1017 Bethlehem Road

▪ 10 a.m.-noon June 27, information session at Mauney Memorial Library community room, 100 S. Piedmont Ave.

Along with meetings, the community can visit the downtown Kings Mountain office and take weekly tours of the mine, Martin said.