Sanders: Lithium Could Bring ‘Transformational Change’ to Arkansas Economy
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders used her full remarks at the July 15 “State of Lithium” summit in Texarkana, Texas, to frame lithium development as both an economic and national-security priority for the state.
Sanders told the audience the state could supply up to 19 million tons of lithium — more than 20% of global demand.
She said Arkansas aims to lead in extraction as well as “upstream and midstream manufacturing.”
Workforce Focus
But much of Sanders’ speech centered on training workers for the industry. She highlighted the story of Angela Meadows, a former factory worker and school custodian from El Dorado who enrolled in a South Arkansas College program partnered with lithium and chemical companies.
Meadows became a chemical operator at Standard Lithium Ltd. and “doubled her income” within four months, the governor said.
Sanders pointed to state programs Arkansas Access and Arkansas LAUNCH, plus test-score gains under the Arkansas LEARNS Act, as evidence the state is building a pipeline for lithium industry jobs.
Watch Sanders’ Keynote
National Security Angle
Sanders also tied the industry to competition with China, saying China “controls more than two-thirds of the global lithium supply chain.” She said Arkansas’ lithium push would help “replace their supply chains with our own.”
“You’re not just investing in our state,” Sanders told attendees. “You’re making America stronger and safer from our adversaries.”
More: Watch the governor’s complete keynote address and read more coverage of Sanders’ remarks at Southwest Arkansas Today.
