Lawton's Westwin Elements Takes Its Nickel Refining Pitch to a National Stage in Atlanta

Westwin Elements founder and CEO KaLeigh Long will speak at Critical Minerals Expo North America on Oct. 28-29 in Atlanta, joining the Oct. 28 panel“Spotlight on Base Metals: Planning Ahead for Future Supply Chains.”The expo brings together more than 1,500 leaders from mining, processing, refining, manufacturing, recycling, technology and policy.

Long’s message centers on nickel, copper and zinc, base metals she argues deserve the same national-priority attention as rare earths because they underpin defense systems, aircraft, advanced alloys, stainless steel, energy infrastructure and manufacturing. In her view, the U.S. cannot achieve mineral security without domestic refining capacity, the crucial link between raw minerals and industrial strength.

Westwin runs a pilot plant in Lawton and has announced plans for a commercial-scale Class 1 nickel refinery in Natchez, Mississippi. For listeners in southwest Oklahoma, the story connects a hometown operation to a national conversation about supply chains and security. Do you think domestic refining should be a bigger priority for the country? Let us know.