Smackover Lithium, a joint venture (JV) between Standard Lithium and Equinor, has filed its first inferred resource report for the Franklin project in north-east Texas, US.
The Franklin project contains a resource of 2.16 million tonnes (mt) of lithium carbonate equivalent, with an average lithium concentration of 668 milligrams per litre (mg/litre).
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In addition, the resource contains around 15.41mt of potash (as potassium chloride), which has recently been added to the US Geological Survey 2025 Draft Critical Mineral List.
The brine also contains approximately 2.64mt of bromide, all within 0.61km³ of brine volume.
The project area covers around 80,000 acres, with more than 46,000 acres currently leased to support the inferred resource.
Brine mineral leasing in this area has been under way since 2022.
The Franklin project has recorded the ‘highest reported’ lithium-in-brine grades in North America, including a previously measured 806mg/litre at the Pine Forest 1 well.
This maiden resource definition is a key milestone for the JV’s goal of producing more than 100,000 tonnes of lithium chemicals annually in Texas through multiple phases.
Additionally, the JV has unveiled plans for two additional projects in East Texas, which are expected to nearly triple the size of its portfolio in the state.
The principal recommendation for the next steps is to enhance the characteristics of the Upper and Middle Smackover Formation aquifers, brine chemistry, and to evaluate reserve forecasts.
This will require drilling new appraisal wells and re-entering three inactive wells to gather data for a preliminary feasibility study.
Smackover Lithium also plans to conduct direct lithium extraction tests on project brine, using insights from Standard Lithium’s demonstration plant in El Dorado, Arkansas, and the JV’s South West Arkansas project.
Last year, in May, Standard Lithium announced a partnership with Equinor for an investment of up to $160m to advance sustainable lithium projects in Arkansas.
