Smackover Lithium Designated as Priority Critical Mineral Project

The Trump administration has designated Smackover Lithium’s South West Arkansas (SWA) direct lithium extraction (DLE) project as a priority transparency critical mineral project, according to an April 21 news release.

The project, which is a cornerstone in joint venture partners Standard Lithium and Equinor’s efforts to increase domestic lithium production, aims to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate from lithium-rich brine in southwestern Arkansas’ Smackover Formation. The designation ensures “increased transparency, accountability, and predictability in the permitting review process, aligning with President Trump’s directive to expedite domestic critical mineral projects,” Standard Lithium said in the news release.

The designation came April 18 as part of a U.S. effort to reduce reliance on foreign countries for critical minerals such as lithium. The critical minerals supply chain is currently dominated by China. Companies in the U.S. are pursuing mining and DLE projects to help meet demand, but development has been slow for some companies faced with lengthy permitting times and environmental review processes.

In March, Trump issued an executive order that mandates department heads and agencies involved with the permitting of critical minerals in the U.S. to identify and prioritize mineral production projects that have submitted plans of operations, permit applications or other applications for approval.

Smackover Lithium said its SWA project is one of only three domestic lithium projects and the only DLE initiative on the initial selected projects list. DLE involves using adsorption, resin or membranes to extract lithium from brine. The process is considered more efficient, faster and cleaner than extraction processes using open pit mining or large evaporation ponds.

“This designation is a testament to the project’s economic viability and potential to strengthen national security, create high-quality jobs and fuel economic growth in Arkansas and beyond,” said Standard Lithium CEO David Park. “The streamlined permitting process, combined with federal support, reinforces our project development timeline and positions us well to deliver a low cost, sustainable, and domestic source of lithium critical to advanced energy technologies.”

The list of initial projects announced by the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council also include the Silver Peak Lithium Mine, Resolution Copper Project, Lisbon Valley Copper Project and Michigan Potash Project, among others.

Michigan Potash & Salt Co.’s Michigan Potash Project will produce potash fertilizer and food-grade salt using mechanical vapor recompression technology and geothermal heat from subsurface brine. The project in January received a conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $1.26 billion.

“This is the first use of the Permitting Council’s transparency authority, and we look forward to showcasing the many benefits the Federal Permitting Dashboard can bring to critical infrastructure projects as part of President Trump’s Executive Order on increasing American mineral production,” said Manisha Patel, acting executive director at the Permitting Council. “The Federal Permitting Dashboard is a vital tool in enhancing interagency coordination and efficient decision making and will play an invaluable role in ensuring that these projects receive the most efficient review and authorization process possible in order to bring the benefits of next-generation infrastructure to communities across the nation.”