Sanders, Energy Majors Make Their Case for Arkansas Lithium at Texarkana Summit
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and executives from ExxonMobil, Chevron and Energy Exploration Technologies Inc. (EnergyX) pitched South Arkansas’ lithium potential at the Texarkana USA Regional Chamber of Commerce’s “State of Lithium” summit on July 15.
KSLA-TV, Channel 12, reports that “hundreds” attended the chamber-sponsored gathering, which featured a Sanders keynote.
Panelists included EnergyX CEO Teague Egan, Chevron New Energies asset-development general manager Jennifer Wilding, ExxonMobil U.S. lithium manager Matthew McCowan, Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Randy Zook and Dana Poindexter of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission.
What They’re Saying
Sanders said Arkansas is “standing on the edge of a transformational change for our economy” and cited a state estimate that the Smackover Formation could supply up to 19 million tons of lithium — more than 20% of global demand. She said the state intends to lead in both extraction and manufacturing.
While Arkansas economic and business leaders are excited about the possibilities, they’re also mindful of setting realistic expectations.
Poindexter, AEDC’s regional manager for South Arkansas, told the gathering that the state should avoid over-hyping a “boom” and instead pursue steady, diversified growth.
The goal is “a sustainable industry that could support our communities for decades,” she said.
Company Plans
McCowan said Exxon chose the Smackover Formation after finding “the lithium concentration and the rock quality were spectacular,” and he noted a gap in the supply chain: No U.S. customer yet exists to turn Exxon’s planned lithium carbonate into cathode material.
Wilding said Chevron, still evaluating its Arkansas acreage, expects lithium demand to roughly quadruple by 2030 versus 2022.
Egan said EnergyX’s demonstration plant in Hooks, Texas, is testing feasibility for a larger commercial facility. He projected the region could produce 200,000 to 300,000 tons of lithium annually by 2036 and pointed to a planned 15,000-ton cathode plant as a step toward domestic battery manufacturing.
What’s Next
Panelists agreed workforce training and expanded power capacity need to be in place well before commercial plants open.
More: Read more coverage of the summit in the Texarkana Gazette, Texas Tribune, Southwest Arkansas Today, KSLA and the Ashley County Ledger.
