Wedoany.com Report-Aug. 10, Australian graphite producer Volt Resources, through its U.S. subsidiary Volt Energy Materials, has received approval to join the Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC), a key platform supported by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). This approval represents a strategic step in advancing the company’s planned graphite refinery project in Alabama.

The DIBC is managed by Advanced Technology International under an OTA.

The DIBC operates under an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) and is managed by Advanced Technology International. The platform connects members from industry, academia, and non-profit sectors to promote innovation and accelerate research, with a focus on strengthening the defense industrial base.

With its membership in the DIBC, Volt can now directly engage with DoD programs through streamlined OTA contracting processes. This allows Volt to participate in U.S. government-backed research, development, demonstration, and procurement initiatives—particularly those related to battery materials, clean energy technologies, and defense supply chain resilience.

Volt Energy Materials is also a member of the Military Power Sources Consortium, which brings together stakeholders to share expertise on military energy systems and related technologies.

As part of its broader strategic development, Volt is progressing with plans to build a graphite processing facility in Alabama. The planned facility will produce high-purity and ultra-high-purity graphite, critical for use in batteries and other energy applications. The capital expenditure for the first phase of the project is estimated at $21 million.

Recent developments in the project include the completion of a positive scoping study, which projected a pre-tax net present value of $136 million. The company has also secured a suitable location for the facility at the Airport Industrial Park in Tuscaloosa County. In line with this progress, Volt has relocated its U.S. headquarters to The EDGE, a business hub operated by the Alabama Entrepreneurship Institute in Tuscaloosa.

Volt stated that its ongoing initiatives are closely aligned with U.S. government objectives to increase domestic and allied sources of essential materials. Graphite is officially designated by the U.S. as a critical mineral, and Volt’s Alabama project is expected to contribute to the secure supply of this material for key sectors, including energy storage and defense.

By joining the DIBC and expanding its U.S. footprint, Volt positions itself to play a meaningful role in enhancing supply chain stability for strategic materials and supporting innovation in advanced energy systems.