New research suggests that Arkansas may be home to upwards of 19 million tons of lithium reserves, which would give the United States an opportunity to lead in the electric vehicle industry.
The United States Geological Survey unveiled the findings on Monday, saying that if the suspected lithium can be recovered, it would meet the projected 2030 global demand for rechargeable EV batteries nine times over.
Researchers discovered the massive potential lithium reserve beneath southwestern Arkansas in the Smackover Formation. The study estimates that the formation (which extends across Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida) could have between five and 19 million tons of lithium reserves.
“Our research was able to estimate total lithium present in the southwestern portion of the Smackover in Arkansas for the first time,” Katherine Knierim, a hydrologist and principal researcher of the study, said in a statement. “We estimate there is enough dissolved lithium present in that region to replace U.S. imports of lithium and more.”
The U.S. presently imports more than 25% of its lithium used in car batteries, cellphones, and other popular electronics.
If just the low-end estimate of 5 million tons of lithium is recoverable, the USGS has said, it would equal to more than nine times the projection for worldwide lithium demand in just six years.
Australia and Chile are considered to be the top producers of lithium in the world. China, which closely follows in third, dominates in processing lithium for use in batteries for EVs.
In recent months, the U.S. has sought to end its reliance on Chinese lithium-ion batteries, increasing tariff rates on EVs to 100% and recently investing more than $400 million to expand domestic battery manufacturing.
On Tuesday, the Department of Energy announced it would be spending around $24.9 million to produce lithium-ion battery cells for EVs, defense applications, and consumer electronics in Louisville, Kentucky.
Last week, U.S. startup Lyten also announced plans to build the world’s first lithium-sulfur battery gigafactory near Reno, Nevada. The company said the plant will have the capacity to produce up to 10 gigawatts of batteries every year starting in 2027.
For the possible lithium reserves in Arkansas, the researchers noted that the recently released estimates are simply “an in-place assessment,” as they have not estimated that can actually be recovered. Lithium is typically extracted from underground brines that it dissolves into. However, if the lithium can be recovered, it would likely weaken China’s monopoly on the EV market.
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“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,” David Applegate, the director of the USGS, said. “This study illustrates the value of science in addressing economically important issues.”
The research was conducted by USGS, the Arkansas Department of Energy, and the Environment’s Office of the State Geologist using a combination of water testing and machine learning.
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Publish date : 2024-10-22 03:45:00
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