Smackover Lithium

10/09/2026

We were proud to convene the first ever Arkansas Lithium Safety Symposium at Southern Arkansas University (SAU).

The symposium brought together industry leaders, safety professionals, and emergency management representatives from Lafayette, Columbia, Miller, Hempstead and surrounding counties to share best practices and discuss safety considerations for the state's growing lithium industry.

We appreciate the open dialogue, shared expertise, and commitment to collaboration throughout the day. Building a safe and responsible lithium industry requires strong partnerships, and it was valuable to bring industry together to strengthen preparedness, coordination, and safety across the region.

Thank you to everyone who participated, contributed to the discussions, and helped make this inaugural event a success. We look forward to continuing these important conversations and building on the momentum to create a stronger safety culture across South Arkansas.

Photos courtesy of DNT Media

10/06/2026

A new feature from Arkansas Business highlights the progress Smackover Lithium has made toward bringing the South West Arkansas Project to construction.

With long-term offtake agreements in place with LG Energy Solution and Trafigura, more than $1 billion of project debt interest from leading export credit agencies, key regulatory approvals, and EPC agreements with S&B Engineers & Constructors and Wood Group USA, the project continues to move closer to finalizing Project Finance and towards a Final Investment Decision.

Years of testing real brine. Rigorous technical and commercial diligence. Strong partners. Committed customers.

The foundation is in place. Now, we’re focused on the path to FID and construction.

Read the October 5:

https://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article/smackover-lithiums-1-5b-plant-finds-financing-solution/

An Arkansas Business subscription may be required.

09/28/2026

Smackover Lithium has signed an amendment to our offtake agreement with global commodities industry leader Trafigura for the SWA Project. The amendment provides us an option, at Smackover Lithium’s election, to deliver up to an additional 4,000 metric tonnes of battery-quality lithium carbonate per year over the 10-year agreement, on top of the initial 8,000 metric tonne per year commitment.
Together with the recently announced LG Energy Solution offtake agreement, total potential volume commitments have now reached 20,000 metric tonnes, exceeding our 80% of nameplate capacity target. The amendment provides the additional volumes needed to complete the SWA Project’s customer offtake process and move to finalizing the ongoing project debt financing.
Smackover Lithium continues to target a Final Investment Decision (FID) on the SWA Project later this year before moving promptly into construction. This would enable first commercial production of battery-quality lithium carbonate in 2029.

Link: https://smackoverlithium.com/newsroom/news-details/2026/Smackover-Lithium-Exceeds-Targeted-Customer-Offtake-Volumes-for-South-West-Arkansas-Project-2026-bHeP4GNwd5/default.aspx

Amendment to Trafigura agreement provides Project with the option to deliver up to an additional 4,000 metric tonnes of battery-quality lithium carbonate per year, on top of the initial 8,000 metric tonne per year commitment All figures are in US dollars unless otherwise stated. Lewisville, AR Smack...

09/21/2026

More than 200 community members joined us for an update on the South West Arkansas Project, a chance to meet members of our contractor teams and ask questions about the work ahead.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to come out, visit with our team and learn more about the Project. We appreciate your continued interest and engagement from Lafayette County and look forward to keeping the community informed as we move forward.

A special thank you to LafCo and DNT Media for being there and capturing the evening. We appreciate our local partners helping share these important community conversations.

09/21/2026

We had a great turnout in Stamps last week for our South West Arkansas Community Update. We shared the latest on the Project, introduced our contractors and answered questions from the community.

Thanks to the Texarkana Gazette for being there and covering the meeting!

09/16/2026

We’re looking forward to seeing you tomorrow night in Lafayette County!

Join us for a community update on the South West Arkansas Project. Our teams will share the latest project updates, discuss what’s ahead, and introduce the contractors selected for the project as we continue prepare for construction.

Have a question you’d like us to address? Submit it in advance by scanning the QR code or emailing [email protected].

We look forward to seeing you there!

Registration is not required to attend, but it is encouraged:

https://forms.gle/L8rgdHoPm6EGKq676

We are looking forward to hosting a community update meeting on Thursday, September 17th, in Lafayette County. This event is an opportunity for everyone to stay informed about the progress of the South West Arkansas Project.

Our teams will share important updates and introduce the contractors selected for the project as we continue to prepare for construction.

Please feel free to submit questions in advance by scanning the QR code or emailing directly to [email protected]

We hope to see you all there!

Registration is not required to attend, but it is politely encouraged:

https://forms.gle/L8rgdHoPm6EGKq676

09/08/2026

Smackover Lithium has announced a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for the Franklin Project, our first planned project in East Texas and a significant step in advancing the region’s lithium potential. The PEA is highlighted by:

• 70,000 tonnes per year of battery-quality lithium carbonate production capacity highlighting the significant project scale
• Upgraded and upsized Mineral Resource with some of the highest lithium-in-brine concentrations reported in North America
• Robust project economics with an unlevered pre-tax NPV8 of US$5.9B, an IRR of 25.7% and a payback of 3 years
• Attractive average annual cash operating cost of $4,226 per tonne
• Potential to increase the project scale and value through bromine and potash commercial opportunities

The PEA establishes a strong foundation to continue advancing the Franklin Project and underscores the size and national importance of the partnership’s broader resource position being developed in the region and our role in strengthening domestic critical mineral supply chains.

Unlevered after-tax NPV 8 and IRR of US$5.0 billion and 24%, respectively Up to 70,000 tonnes per year of battery-quality lithium carbonate production Capital intensity of $49.9k per tonne with average annual cash operating cost of $4,226 per tonne Upgraded and upsized Mineral Resource with some of....

09/03/2026

Building a new industry takes more than technology and resources. It takes strong partnerships.

We appreciated the opportunity for Andy Robinson, President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Standard Lithium, to participate in Equinor Talks at ONS 2026, where industry leaders discussed how collaboration helps accelerate the development of new businesses and emerging industries.

At Smackover Lithium, partnership is central to our success. By bringing together complementary expertise, shared values, and a commitment to responsible development, we're helping unlock the Smackover’s world-class lithium resources and strengthen the domestic battery supply chain.

This conversation reinforced a simple but important lesson: when organizations combine their strengths, they can accomplish far more together than they can alone.

Watch the full discussion here: https://lnkd.in/gvPxSHgr

09/02/2026

Smackover Lithium, a partnership between Standard Lithium Ltd. and Equinor ASA, announced a second commercial agreement for its South West Arkansas project on Monday.

The agreement will supply LG Energy Solution, a global manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries, with about 8,800 tons a year of battery-quality lithium carbonate. The carbonate is worth an estimated $1.5 billion over a 10-year period following the start of commercial production.

Read more in the comments below.

09/01/2026

SLI CEO David Park joined Bloomberg TV to break down Smackover Lithium's offtake agreement with LG Energy Solution and why a final investment decision this fall puts American lithium on the map.

We are building U.S. energy dominance.