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INDIVIDUAL FACILITIES AND SELECTED SOURCES
Below is basic information about individual facilities in our database and selected sources we've drawn on to support the analysis.  To navigate to other sites, use the search page.

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Critical Minerals Plant

Westwin Elements

Lawton, OK, USA

-98.5250854327331, 34.5803154768885

The Big Green Machine Site ID: 732

Additional Information:

Sector: Batteries

Activity: Materials Processing

Product: Nickel


Project Announcement Date: 2/24/2023

Target for Starting Production: 2030

Date Commercial Production Started:

Announced Post Inflation Reduction Act: Yes


Target Annual Production: 84000 tpa

Operating Status: Operating


Target Jobs: 795

Capital Investment: $1250 million

Congressional District: OK4

Government Subsidies:

Local/State: $24 million

Selected Sources:

“Lawton City Council approves plan to bring cobalt refinery to town”, Diamond Hubbard, https://www.kswo.com, 24 Feb 2023. 🔗


“Westwin Elements breaks ground on America’s Only Critical Minerals Pilot Plant”, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, 25 Aug 2023. 🔗


“Plans for U.S.’s first nickel, cobalt refinery launch with groundbreaking in Lawton, Oklahoma”, Hicham Raache, Oklahoma Business Voice, 23 Aug 2023. 🔗


“Westwin plant has started production”, Kim McConnell kim.mcconnell@swoknews.com, The Lawton Constitution, 18 Dec 2024. 🔗


“Westwin plant has started production”, Kim McConnell kim.mcconnell@swoknews.com, The Lawton Constitution, 18 Dec 2024. 🔗


“Nation’s only refinery for cobalt and nickel to be built in Lawton”, Jerry Bohnen, Oklahoma Energy Today - Energy News Just A Click Away, 13 Mar 2023. 🔗


“Lawton board approves a third reimbursement for Westwin construction project”, Kim McConnell kim.mcconnell@swoknews.com, The Lawton Constitution, 26 Jun 2024. 🔗


“Nation’s only refinery for cobalt and nickel to be built in Lawton”, Jerry Bohnen, Oklahoma Energy Today - Energy News Just A Click Away, 13 Mar 2023. 🔗


“City OKs agreement for cobalt refinery”, Eric Swanson, Southwest Ledger, 28 Feb 2023. 🔗


“Westwin Resistance sounds alarm over Westwin’s lawsuit against ex-partner company”, Britny Cordera, The Black Wall Street Times, 21 Feb 2025. 🔗


Tracked Expansions, Acquisitions, or Related Sites:

We currently have no related projects tracked for this site.

This website, dashboard, and dataset are maintained by Jay Turner and student researchers in the Environmental Studies Department at Wellesley College. It is updated at least monthly. The data presented are compiled from publicly available sources. Summary statistics are incomplete and omit data from sites where publicly available information (regarding capital investments, employment levels, etc.) is unavailable. While we make every effort to ensure the information presented here is accurate, the information should be treated as estimates. We assume no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions. The information contained in this site is provided on an "as is" basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, or usefulness. The Big Green Machine® is a registered trademark. Please submit feedback using this formData on this site last updated on April 19, 2025. 

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