There’s an estimated 5 to 19 million tons of lithium roughly 1.4 to 1.7 miles underground in Southwest Arkansas, according to the latest government research figures. That much lithium would be enough for about nine times the annual worldwide demand for electric vehicles projected for 2030.
So, it’s little wonder then why even the United States Geological Survey (USGS) refers to this geological unit known as the Smackover Formation as a hidden treasure. Specifically, lithium is a critical mineral in the production of lithium-ion batteries, as the world shifts away from fossil fuels.
While the scientific parameters of the Smackover lithium play become ever clearer over time, thanks largely to public and private research inquiries, the play’s ultimate economic fate remains largely opaque. That’s where the 2025 Arkansas Lithium Innovation Summit is hoped to add at least some clarity.
The first such summit took place in February 2024. Now, almost two full years later, Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald says he expects this year’s installment to be bigger and better. “Well, this is, of course, the long game we’re dealing with. Effectively building a brand new industry, on top of, you know, the process industry that already exists in South Arkansas. But it’s, it’s building relationships, having companies come here that don’t know anything about Arkansas, having them understand about the business environment, the pro-business environment in Arkansas. The Governor’s going to be there, as well. She’s fully engaged in this process.”
McDonald made the remarks on the Sunday, October 12 edition of the statewide syndicated program “Talk Business and Politics” and is scheduled to be among the 27 keynote speakers at the two-day event October 28-29, at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. Organized and hosted by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC), this summit is billed as a “premier gathering of industry leaders, policymakers, and investors focused on the state’s growing role in the global lithium economy.”…