The US Army is opening up its real estate portfolio for an unexpected tenant: mining companies. Through its Enhanced Use Leasing program, the Army is handing over underutilized land at military installations to private firms that will build critical mineral processing facilities on-site.
The goal is straightforward. Stop relying on China for the raw materials that go into American weapons systems.
From arsenals to processing plants
The Army issued a Request for Information on December 19, 2025, kicking off the initiative. By June 25, 2026, Titan Mining Corporation was conditionally selected for long-term Enhanced Use Leases focused on graphite processing.
Titan’s project, called the Kilbourne Graphite Purification Plant, will be developed at Pine Bluff Arsenal and Anniston Army Depot. The purified graphite produced there serves a very specific purpose: it’s a key component in bullet primers and other defense applications.
