March 12, 2026
Albemarle has reached a project milestone at our Kings Mountain, North Carolina, proposed mine project with the successful completion of dewatering the site’s open pit.
As one of North America's largest hard-rock lithium deposits, the Kings Mountain Mine has the potential to be a cornerstone of a U.S.-based lithium supply chain. The proposed mine has the potential to produce and process nearly 3.1 million tons of lithium-bearing spodumene ore annually.
When mining operations ceased in the early 1990s, the pit gradually filled with rainwater over several decades and eventually accumulated more than a billion gallons. To further advance prefeasibility studies and evaluate the potential restart of mining operations, that water needed to be safely removed.
The State of North Carolina’s Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) authorized the effort through a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, which set strict requirements for water quality and discharge rates to protect nearby Kings Creek and the surrounding river basin. With the permit in place, Albemarle constructed a temporary dedicated water treatment system designed to meet those standards.
Over a nearly 20-month period, water was pumped from the pit to the treatment plant, where it underwent a multi‑step purification process. Sediment and other organic materials were filtered out, and ultrafiltration ensured the final clarity of the water before it was transferred to a finished water tank. From there, the treated water was released into Kings Creek at carefully controlled rates.
Throughout the operation, teams of experts continuously monitored water quality. Additional sampling occurred daily, weekly and quarterly at multiple points between the treatment plant and Kings Creek, ensuring full compliance with regulatory requirements.
“Completing the dewatering of the Kings Mountain Mine pit is an important milestone for our site,” said Scott Hutchins, Albemarle’s Senior Director, Business Readiness. “Our team safely treated and discharged every gallon in full compliance with state requirements, with protection of Kings Creek as our top priority. This progress allows us to move forward with the next phase of technical studies and planning for the mine’s future.”
By the end of the project, Albemarle safely treated and discharged 1.57 billion gallons of accumulated rainwater, exceeding initial estimates and completing the work exactly as planned.
A small amount of water is expected to remain in the bottom of the pit, fluctuating with the amount of rainfall received. As needed, Albemarle plans to periodically remove this stormwater from the mine pit.
The completion of dewatering marks a significant step forward for Albemarle’s long‑term plans at the Kings Mountain site. The company can continue its technical studies and planning efforts as it evaluates the potential redevelopment of one of North America’s most important lithium resources.
ALBEMARLE KINGS MOUNTAIN
Kings Mountain Mine Dewatering Successfully Completed
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