A groundbreaking study led by the US Geological Survey has identified an enormous lithium reserve in southwestern Arkansas that could potentially revolutionize the US supply chain for electric vehicle batteries.
Using innovative machine learning techniques and water testing, researchers estimate the Smackover Formation contains between 5 and 19 million tons of lithium. Even at the lower estimate, this reserve could meet the projected global lithium demand for electric vehicles in 2030 nine times over.
“Lithium is a critical mineral for the energy transition, and the potential for increased US production to replace imports has implications for employment, manufacturing and supply-chain resilience,” USGS Director David Applegate said in a statement on Monday.
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The Smackover Formation, a limestone geological unit dating to the Jurassic period, extends beneath six southern states and was previously known for oil and bromine deposits. The lithium is found in high-salinity brines associated with deep salt deposits, offering the possibility of extraction from what would otherwise be waste streams from oil and gas operations.
Lead researcher Katherine Knierim cautioned that while the study estimates the total lithium present, it does not assess how much is technically recoverable using current extraction methods.
The USGS estimates that lithium currently brought to the surface in oil and brine waste streams in southern Arkansas could cover the current estimated US lithium consumption. The US currently imports more than 25% of its lithium.
The research, conducted in partnership with the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment’s Office of the State Geologist, employed machine learning to predict lithium concentrations across the region, even in areas lacking samples. Researchers at the USGS Brine Research Instrumentation and Experimental lab in Reston, VA, analyzed new samples and compared them with historical data from the USGS Produced Waters Database to create comprehensive prediction maps.
Driven by the increasing transition to electric and hybrid vehicles, global lithium demand continues to surge. This potential domestic source could significantly reduce US dependence on foreign lithium imports while supporting the growing electric vehicle industry.
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