Graphite One Clears Key Ohio EPA Hurdle for Planned Ohio Battery Materials Facility

Air permit application accepted as preliminarily and administratively complete, advancing G1's Ohio processing facility into technical review

VANCOUVER, BC, July 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Graphite One Inc. (TSXV: GPH) (OTCQX: GPHOF) ("G1", "Graphite One" or the "Company"), a developer of a complete U.S.-based advanced graphite supply chain, today announces another significant milestone in the development of its planned Active Anode Materials ("AAM") facility in Conneaut, Ohio. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency ("Ohio EPA") has determined the Company's air permit application is complete and has commenced technical review.

Acceptance into technical review represents a key milestone in the Ohio permitting process and confirms the Ohio EPA has determined the application contains the information required to begin its detailed technical review, an important step toward issuance of the required air permit.

"Acceptance into technical review reflects the quality of the work completed by G1's engineering and permitting teams," said Mike Schaffner, Chief Operating Officer. "We appreciate Ohio EPA's review and remain focused on advancing the project efficiently toward construction."

The planned Conneaut facility is designed to produce synthetic AAM, a critical battery material used in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, grid-scale energy storage, and other applications. The initial phase is expected to produce approximately 10,000 tonnes per year, with planned expansion to 25,000 tonnes per year. Graphite One's non-linear development strategy allows the Ohio facility to move to production independently of the Company's Graphite Creek Project near Nome, Alaska, creating an earlier path to revenue than in traditional resource development projects.

Together, the Company's planned Graphite Creek project in Alaska and planned Ohio AAM facility are designed to establish the first fully integrated domestic U.S. graphite supply chain--from mining graphite in Alaska to producing advanced battery materials in Ohio. This vertically integrated strategy is intended to strengthen U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, reduce reliance on foreign supply chains, and improve long-term supply chain resilience.

This milestone further advances the Company's integrated U.S. graphite supply chain and complements ongoing permitting progress at the Graphite Creek project in Alaska. Subject to permitting, regulatory approvals, and financing, synthetic AAM production is expected to commence at the Ohio facility in Q4 2027, with natural graphite production at Graphite Creek targeted for 2029.

This milestone follows a series of important project advancements throughout 2026 as Graphite One continues executing engineering, permitting, procurement, financing, and customer engagement activities on both of its Alaska and Ohio projects.

"Today's milestone is another demonstration of the disciplined execution of our strategy to build the first fully integrated domestic U.S. graphite supply chain," said Anthony Huston, President, & CEO. "Every permitting, engineering, financing, and customer engagement milestone reduces execution risk and moves us closer to commercial production. Together, these parallel workstreams strengthens Graphite One's position as a strategic domestic supplier of advanced graphite materials supporting America's battery and energy storage industries. We remain focused on achieving additional project milestones throughout 2026 while creating long-term value for our shareholders, customers, and strategic partners."

About Graphite One Inc.

GRAPHITE ONE INC. continues to develop its Graphite One Project (the "Project"), with the goal of becoming an American producer of high-grade anode materials that is integrated with a domestic graphite resource. The Project is proposed as a vertically integrated enterprise to mine and process natural graphite and to manufacture artificial and natural graphite anode active materials primarily for the lithium-ion electric vehicle battery and energy storage markets.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

"Anthony Huston" (signed)

For more information on Graphite One Inc., please visit the Company's website, www.GraphiteOneInc.com

On X @GraphiteOne

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, including those related to the Ohio EPA review process, the EIS process and anticipated timing, the proposed 2029 startup date, any statements related to the planned production of mineral reserves and resources, the construction of facilities, and events or developments that the Company intends, expects, plans, or proposes are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "proposes", "expects", "is expected", "scheduled", "estimates", "projects", "plans", "is planning", "intends", "assumes", "believes", "indicates", "to be" or variations of such words and phrases that state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". The Company cautions that there is no certainty that the Ohio EPA technical review and EIS process will be completed on the timeline or in the manner set forth in this press release, that the Graphite Creek Project will produce the minerals or at the rates set out in the Feasibility Study, or that facilities will be built as planned. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continuity of mineralization, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and title and delays due to third party opposition or regulatory processes (including the EIS), changes in government policies regarding mining and natural resource exploration and exploitation, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is given as of the date it is expressed in this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities laws. For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedarplus.ca

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SOURCE Graphite One Inc.