A sprawling formation underneath southwestern Arkansas could hold enough lithium, a key ingredient in electric vehicle batteries, to meet projected global demand “nine times over” by 2030, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey-led study.
The so-called Smackover Formation — currently a hot spot for exploration that’s pulling in Big Oil like Exxon Mobil — could hold between 5 million and 19 million tons of lithium, according to an analysis the USGS and the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment’s Office of the State Geologist released Monday. The lithium is in brines that were co-produced during oil and gas operations.
“Lithium is a critical mineral for the energy transition, and the potential for increased U.S. production to replace imports has implications for employment, manufacturing and supply-chain resilience,” said David Applegate, director of the USGS. “This study illustrates the value of science in addressing economically important issues.”
The challenge, however, will be scaling up operations in the region to extract lithium through commercially viable operations. Companies like Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Occidental Petroleum and Standard Lithium are already operating in the area, testing emerging technologies to extract lithium from drilling wastes and salt flats.
