Smackover Lithium, a 55:45 owned partnership between Standard Lithium Ltd. and Equinor, announced the positive results of a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for its Franklin Project. With Standard Lithium as the developer and operator, the project is seeking to develop a greenfield lithium extraction and chemicals production facility in the East Texas region of the Smackover Formation. The Franklin Project is its first defined project in East Texas. The PEA for the Franklin Project marks a key step towards the partnership’s goal of reaching well over 100,000 metric tons per year (mt/y) of lithium chemical production in Texas through multiple phases and projects.

The PEA contemplates annual production capacity of up to 70,000 mt of battery-quality lithium carbonate and roughly 65,000 mt/y of average production over a 20-year modelled operating life, with an average lithium concentration of 515 mg/L. Initial production could begin in the early 2030’s with additional potential for a longer operating life and further expansion, though this is not modelled in the PEA.

“The Franklin PEA demonstrates the strength of arguably one of the largest and highest-quality lithium brine resources in North America, supporting an attractive standalone lithium operation with additional potential value from bromine and potash,” said Dr. Andy Robinson, president and COO of Standard Lithium.

Smackover Lithium is currently developing multiple projects in the Smackover Formation, including the South West Arkansas Project (SWA Project). The Franklin brine project is sufficiently similar to the SWA brine project from a metallurgical perspective. The companies said this means that the lithium process flowsheet and its use of direct lithium extraction will be similar for both.

Smackover will advance the Franklin Project to a Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS), which is targeted for completion in 2027.

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