Arkansas’ Lithium Future Takes Center Stage at Summit
This Week:
Arkansas Commerce Secretary Hugh McDonald and SAU’s Sheryl Edwards say the state’s lithium opportunity is just getting started — and next week’s Arkansas Lithium Innovation Summit in Little Rock will show its progress.
In a new interview with Roby Brock on “Capitol View,” McDonald calls the upcoming summit “bigger, better, packed.”
Plus: You’ll be able to meet the Lithium Link team at the summit — we’ll be interviewing leaders and readers alike.
In other news: ExxonMobil invests $25,000 in SAU’s Mobile STEM Lab, set to launch early next year.
Let’s dive in!
Video: McDonald, Edwards Preview Arkansas Lithium Innovation Summit, SAU’s New Lithium Learns Program
Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald and Southern Arkansas University’s LithiumLearns Executive Director Sheryl Edwards say the state is laying the foundation for a long-term, high-tech lithium industry, and next week’s Arkansas Lithium Innovation Summit in Little Rock will showcase that momentum.
McDonald and Edwards, SAU’s associate vice president for strategic initiatives, discussed the promise of a thriving direct lithium extraction industry in Arkansas on a recent episode of “Capitol View” with host Roby Brock.
During the interview, McDonald said the second annual summit will be “bigger, better, packed” — bringing together global companies and investors to strengthen Arkansas’ position as home to “the largest North American lithium resource right here in South Arkansas.”
Edwards detailed Lithium Learns, a workforce and education initiative at SAU in Magnolia, built through Higher Industry Readiness through Educational Development (HIRED) grants and partnerships with The Venture Center and Apprentice.ly.
The program aims to “develop a talent pipeline for the nascent lithium industry,” from K-12 STEM and mobile labs to adult training once plants begin operating.
McDonald called lithium development “a long game,” with billion-dollar projects and cyclical markets, while Edwards said the region has moved from asking “Will this happen?” to “What do we need to do to get ready for this to happen?”
More: Watch the full interview.
Previously: Lithium Link discussed Lithium Learns and its sister program, Lithium Works, in an interview with Arthur Orduña in February.
Previously: Watch our Lithium Link conversation with McDonald from August 2024.
Meet the Lithium Link Team at Next Week’s Arkansas Lithium Innovation Summit
🗓 Oct. 28-29, 2025
📍 Statehouse Convention Center — Little Rock, Arkansas
The 2025 Arkansas Lithium Innovation Summit takes place next week in Little Rock, and Lithium Link is inviting all attendees to stop by our booth and say hello!
The Lithium Link/Ghidotti Communications booth will be located in the Statehouse North Ballroom Foyer, overlooking the Arkansas River.
Lithium Link Editors Lance Turner and Shealyn Sowers will be there both days of the conference, visiting with attendees and recording interviews for future Lithium Link editions.
We would love to meet our Lithium Link readers and subscribers!
Why Attend the Summit?
✅ Hear directly from national and global leaders in lithium, energy and critical minerals
✅ Connect with startups, investors and innovators transforming the U.S. supply chain
✅ Explore opportunities in workforce, technology and infrastructure development across the Smackover region
🎟 Secure your spot now — Get Tickets Here
Previously: A look at last year’s inaugural summit: Video | White paper
ExxonMobil Donates $25,000 to Lithium Learns
Speaking of Lithium Learns, SAU announced that ExxonMobil has donated $25,000 to the program to support its Mobile STEM Lab initiative.
SAU says Lithium Learns will use the Mobile STEM Lab to educate K-12 students in districts across South Arkansas about the Smackover Formation and the importance of developing its critical minerals.
Through the lab, educators and industry partners “will engage with students through interactive experiments that simulate chemical industry processes and highlight needed workforce skills to help build a talent pipeline for the region’s critical minerals industry.”
“STEM education opens doors to new possibilities and fuels curiosity,” said Remi Loiseau, lithium area manager at ExxonMobil. “This collaboration with LithiumLearns is a meaningful investment in Southwest Arkansas students, providing hands-on learning experiences and creating pathways to careers in emerging industries.”
What’s next: SAU said the Mobile STEM Lab is expected to be complete in January and will begin visiting schools shortly thereafter.
What We’re Reading
Here’s a quick sample of other lithium-related news we’re reading and watching:
Could outdated county property records complicate or delay lithium development in Arkansas? The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports how unclear ownership can make it difficult for companies to secure leases and pay royalties correctly. | Read the article
Standard Lithium Ltd. closes a $130 million underwritten public offering that will partially fund capital expenses at its lithium brine projects in southwest Arkansas. | Read the article
Arkansas Business energy reporter Kyle Massey writes on Standard Lithium/Equinor’s Sept. 24 report on lithium brine quality in northeast Texas. | Read the article
Arkansas Sens. Tom Cotton and John Boozman join Texas Sen. John Cornyn in urging the Department of War to invest in American lithium.| Read the article
Forbes magazine goes long on plans by Silicon Valley startup Lilac Solutions to develop a $250 million DLE plant at Utah’s Great Salt Lake, aiming to produce about 5,000 metric tons of lithium annually by 2028. | Read the article
