Arkansas is home to a potentially vast resource of lithium, a valuable battery component, that is nicknamed “white gold” and “the new gasoline.” This discovery is important because renewable energy relies on batteries, and many batteries require lithium. The U.S. Geological Survey has estimated that there may be between 5 and 19 million tons of lithium buried deep below southern Arkansas, which could meet projected world demand for lithium car batteries nine times over.
However, the challenge lies in how to extract this lithium without causing harm to the environment and water table. Lithium extraction is notoriously difficult and has been linked to issues such as water depletion. Companies like Exxon are interested in developing practical ways to mine this valuable metal in Arkansas.
Lithium is a crucial element for the shift towards carbon-neutral energy sources like solar and wind. With the demand for lithium skyrocketing, the U.S. currently relies on imports for about 25% of its supply, mostly from China. Developing domestic sources of lithium is part of a federal strategy to protect U.S. manufacturing and supply chains.
Arkansas’s lithium deposits are part of the Smackover Formation, a relic of a 200-million-year-old sea that covers several southern states. Advanced drilling technologies are making it possible to access these lithium deposits, but the challenge now lies in developing the technology to extract the lithium from the brine.
While the potential for lithium in Arkansas is significant, there are concerns about the environmental impact of mining this resource. Extraction has been linked to water depletion and other issues, such as the draining of wetlands in California. Despite these challenges, companies like Exxon are exploring ways to extract lithium sustainably and aim to become leading lithium suppliers by 2030.
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