How EnergyX’s Pantera Lithium Deal Bolsters Project Lonestar

Written By Jane Madden

This Week: A Deeper Look at EnergyX

  • EnergyX has grown its Smackover footprint and eyes a “mega-refinery” at the TexAmericas Center, targeting 50,000 tpa lithium hydroxide output by 2030.

  • A sneak peek at our upcoming look inside Standard Lithium’s demonstration plant in El Dorado.

  • Another big name added to the Arkansas Lithium Innovation Summit lineup.

  • Lots to catch up on in this week’s edition of “What We’re Reading, Watching.”

Let’s dive in!

With Pantera Deal, EnergyX Bolsters Its Smackover ‘Mega-Refinery’ Plans

The sale of Pantera Lithium’s Smackover Formation holdings to EnergyX of Austin, Texas, shines a line on EnergyX’s broader aims for the region, including plans for a major Ark-La-Tex lithium hub.

What to know: 

  • EnergyX plans a lithium “mega-refinery” at TexAmericas Center — the 12,000-acre industrial park just west of Texarkana in Bowie County, Texas — and holds an option to purchase about 330 acres there for the facility. 

  • Park leaders say EnergyX also has an option to lease TexAmericas’ mineral rights as part of the plan. 

EnergyX previously announced a deal to acquire about 35,000 gross acres of Smackover lithium brine resources in Arkansas from Pantera of West Perth, Australia, bringing its total Smackover position to nearly 50,000 acres across Arkansas and Texas.

Overview:

  • Output targets: Project Lonestar is designed to produce 50,000 tpa of lithium hydroxide by 2030, with a 12,500 tpa Phase 1 by 2028.

  • Tech stack: The company plans to vertically integrate its LiTAS direct lithium extraction platform and downstream refining; its engineering partner is Worley. 

  • Neighbors: EnergyX’s Smackover position sits adjacent to ExxonMobil, Chevron and Standard Lithium, according to EnergyX. 

For Arkansas readers, Project Lonestar would be a large processing hub just across the state line that could shape regional offtake, workforce and supplier networks tied to the Smackover lithium play. 

Project Lonestar rendering, courtesy of EnergyX

What’s Next

EnergyX unveiled Project Lonestar in June 2024 with a phased plan of 5,000 tpa (Phase 1) and 25,000 tpa (Phase 2), signaling an ambition that has since scaled up with the Pantera acreage announcement. Major investors GM and POSCO hold first rights to portions of offtake, according to EnergyX. 

What we’re watching:

  • Finalization of the Pantera acreage acquisition. 

  • Site development milestones at TexAmericas Center, including land purchase/lease execution and permitting. 

  • How EnergyX sequences Phase 1 (2028) toward the 2030 throughput goal. 

The bottom line: Project Lonestar could be a significant regional lithium hub, with a refinery footprint at TexAmericas and a growing Smackover position that Arkansas stakeholders should have on their radar.

Previously: Pantera Sells Smackover Lithium Project for $26M

Sneak Peak: Coming Soon to Lithium Link, A Tour of Standard Lithium’s Demonstration Plant

Appearing soon in an upcoming edition of the Lithium Link newsletter: Our look inside the Standard Lithium demonstration plan in El Dorado. 

  • Here, Standard Lithium is perfecting its direct lithium extraction technology, helping to lay the foundation of a new Arkansas industry.

  • We take a camera crew inside the plant to show how workers process tail brine from the existing bromine operations at the Lanxess South Plant into lithium carbonate.

Don’t miss our forthcoming look at the cutting-edge critical mineral mining taking shape in Arkansas.

What We’re Reading, Watching

Here’s a quick sample of other lithium-related news we’re reading and watching:

  • Talk Business & Politics reports on demo day in Bentonville for the Arkansas Lithium Technology Accelerator. | Read the article

  • The Wall Street Journal reports on China’s move to choke the supply of critical minerals. | Read the article

  • The El Dorado News-Times reports on two programs — Lithium Works and Lithium Learns — that aim to prepare students for the lithium workforce. | Read the article (paywall)

  • Bloomberg reports that battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. halted operations at a major mine in China, “spurring speculation that Beijing might move to suspend other projects as it tackles overcapacity across the economy.” | Read the article

  • CalMatters publishes a commentary by San Diego State University President Adela de la Torre, who writes that “collective dysfunction may prevent a state in financial difficulty from seizing an opportunity” in California’s “Lithium Valley” “potentially worth more than half a trillion dollars.” | Read the article

Standard Lithium CEO David Park a Featured Speaker at the 2025 Arkansas Lithium Innovation Summit
🗓 Oct. 28-29, 2025
📍 Statehouse Convention Center, Little Rock, Arkansas

David Park, CEO and director of Standard Lithium Ltd. of Vancouver will be among the featured speakers at the 2025 Arkansas Lithium Innovation Summit. Park has nearly three decades of experience in the energy and industrial sectors.

Also hear from:

Previously announced keynote speakers include Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Simon Moores, founder and CEO of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.

Why attend?

✅ Learn from national experts
✅ Connect with startups, investors and global companies
✅ Explore opportunities in workforce, technology and infrastructure

The early bird deadline is Aug. 31 for tickets to the Arkansas Lithium Innovation Summit, where innovators, industry leaders, researchers and policymakers meet to build America’s next energy hub. From direct lithium extraction to battery manufacturing, Arkansas is where the future of energy takes shape.

Secure your spot now! GET TICKETS

Previously: A look at last year’s inaugural summit: Video | White paper

Registration Open for emPOWER Arkansas Conference & Expo: Oct. 20-21, North Little Rock

Tickets are now available for emPOWER Arkansas, hosted by the Arkansas Advanced Energy Association, scheduled for Monday-Tuesday, Oct. 20–21, 2025, at the Wyndham Riverfront in North Little Rock. Expect a packed agenda where industry leaders, policymakers and innovators dig into what’s next for Arkansas energy — and yes, there will be some programming on lithium alongside policy, workforce, efficiency and grid topics.

Why go:

  • Open to everyone — you don’t have to be an AAEA member to attend.

  • New this year: an industry exposure event for students and job seekers.

Tickets & details: Registration, sponsorships, presenter and expo applications are live on the AAEA site.

Jane Madden
Next

How Defense Spending Could Jump-Start Arkansas’ Lithium Industry