Arkansas may have 19 million tons of lithium crucial for EV batteries: Study
By Jack Aylmer (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Michael Edwards (Video Editor )
A massive lithium deposit in the United States could reshape the world’s energy needs. Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey announced on Wednesday, Oct. 23, that they had discovered between 5 million and 19 million tons of lithium deposits underneath southwestern Arkansas. For reference, 5 million tons would reportedly be enough to meet projected 2030 global demand for lithium batteries in electric vehicles nine times over.
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Researchers say Arkansas may have 19M tons of lithium critical for battery power
Click to see story on The HillArkansas May Be Sitting On 19M Tons Of Lithium Amid Rising Demand For EV Batteries: How To Invest In What Elon Musk Calls ‘The New Oil’ – Amplify Lithium & Battery Technology ETF (ARCA:BATT), iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (NASDAQ:ICLN)
Click to see story on BenzingaWhat To Know About The Massive Lithium Discovery In Arkansas—And What It Means For EVs
Click to see story on ForbesNew US Geological Service study shows millions of tons of lithium deposits in the Arkansas Smackover Formation
Click to see story on NWAHOMEPAGEDefending champion Celtics tip off new season with chip on their shoulders – Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Click to see story on Hawaii Tribune-HeraldMassive lithium reserve discovered in Arkansas could power global EV industry
Click to see story on Tech SpotLithium source in Arkansas could meet world demand ‘nine times over’, study says
Click to see story on KTHVUntracked Bias
Will Arkansas Become the New Lithium Mecca?
Click to see story on De TijdArkansas May Have Vast Lithium Reserves, Researchers Say
Click to see story on slashdot.orgArkansas may be sitting on 19 million tons of lithium
Click to see story on ElectrekArkansas might be home to around 19 million tons of lithium — researchers use machine learning to quantify lithium abundance in the Smackover Formation
Click to see story on Tom's HardwareLithium source in Arkansas could meet world demand ‘nine times over’, study says
Click to see story on BizTocResearchers say Arkansas may have 19M tons of lithium critical for battery power
Click to see story on The Baltimore PostResearchers say Arkansas may have 19M tons of lithium critical for battery power – More than 9 times what’s needed to meet projected global lithium demand in 2030 for EV batteries
Click to see story on Climate DepotResearchers say Arkansas may have 19M tons of lithium critical for battery power
Click to see story on illuminem.comStudy: South Arkansas may have enough lithium to meet world demand by 2030
Click to see story on n1info.rsArkansas has enough lithium for the world’s EVs — but getting to it is the problem
Click to see story on TheSpuzzThis tiny section of the US Southeast could hold enough lithium to cover battery needs for years – UK Times
Click to see story on uk-times.com19 million tons of lithium may be buried under Arkansas
Click to see story on csnbbs.comSouthern state could become ‘white gold’ boom town after $150 billion lithium reserve discovery Daily Mail Online
Click to see story on world-ne.wsThe USGS reportedly used artificial intelligence to analyze samples from the so-called “Smackover formation,” a remnant of a 200-million-year-old sea covering parts of Arkansas and several other Southern states. The AI model then used data to predict lithium concentrations in the region and generate maps.
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Now, the work is beginning to figure out how to extract the valuable resource. Arkansas’ lithium abundance has already reportedly caught the eye of Exxon Mobil, which hopes to mine the metal.
However, geologists note that lithium is extremely difficult to extract, and is linked to water depletion and other environmental hazards. They warn that it is not yet known the amount of money and effort it will take to unearth it.
Lithium is vital for current and future energy needs. Lithium-ion batteries are not only used in vehicles but also cellphones, laptops and other large energy storage devices. Arkansas’ lithium may also give the United States an advantage globally.
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Currently, 25% of the United States lithium is imported from other nations, and most lithium-ion batteries come from China, which is one of the main reasons the Biden administration says it’s working to expand domestic battery production to protect domestic manufacturing and supply chains. To that end, Samsung SDI also recently agreed on a deal to build and operate a $3.5 billion EV battery plant in Indiana with General Motors.
[JACK AYLMER]
A MASSIVE LITHIUM DEPOSIT RIGHT HERE IN THE U-S COULD RESHAPE THE WORLD’S ENERGY NEEDS.
RESEARCHERS FROM THE U-S GEOLOGICAL SURVEY DISCOVERED BETWEEN 5 MILLION AND 19 MILLION TONS OF LITHIUM DEPOSITS UNDERNEATH SOUTHWESTERN ARKANSAS.
FIVE MILLION TONS WOULD REPORTEDLY BE ENOUGH TO MEET PROJECTED GLOBAL DEMAND FOR LITHIUM BATTERIES IN ELECTRIC VEHICLES NINE TIMES OVER.
THE U-S-G-S USED A-I TO ANALYZE SAMPLES FROM THE SMACKOVER FORMATION, A REMNANT OF A 200-MILLION-YEAR-OLD SEA COVERING PARTS OF ARKANSAS AND SEVERAL OTHER SOUTHERN STATES.
THE A-I THEN USED DATA TO PREDICT LITHIUM CONCENTRATION IN THE REGION AND GENERATE MAPS.
NOW THE WORK IS BEGINNING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO EXTRACT THE VALUABLE RESOURCE.
ARKANSAS’ LITHIUM ABUNDANCE HAS ALREADY CAUGHT THE EYE OF EXXON, WHICH HOPES TO MINE THE METAL.
BUT GEOLOGISTS NOTE LITHIUM IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO EXTRACT AND IS LINKED TO WATER DEPLETION AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS.
THEY ALSO WARN IT’S NOT YET KNOWN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND EFFORT IT WILL TAKE TO UNEARTH IT.
LITHIUM IS VITAL FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE ENERGY NEEDS.
LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES ARE NOT ONLY USED IN VEHICLES BUT CELLPHONES, LAPTOPS AND OTHER LARGE ENERGY STORAGE DEVICES.
ARKANSAS’ LITHIUM MAY ALSO GIVE THE U-S AN ADVANTAGE GLOBALLY.
CURRENTLY, 25 PERCENT OF THE UNITED STATES LITHIUM IS IMPORTED FROM OTHER NATIONS AND MOST OF OUR LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES COME FROM CHINA.
ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SAYS IT’S WORKING TO EXPAND DOMESTIC BATTERY PRODUCTION TO PROTECT DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING AND SUPPLY CHAINS.
FOR MORE ON THIS STORY– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M JACK AYLMER.
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
Researchers say Arkansas may have 19M tons of lithium critical for battery power
Click to see story on The HillArkansas May Be Sitting On 19M Tons Of Lithium Amid Rising Demand For EV Batteries: How To Invest In What Elon Musk Calls ‘The New Oil’ – Amplify Lithium & Battery Technology ETF (ARCA:BATT), iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (NASDAQ:ICLN)
Click to see story on BenzingaWhat To Know About The Massive Lithium Discovery In Arkansas—And What It Means For EVs
Click to see story on ForbesNew US Geological Service study shows millions of tons of lithium deposits in the Arkansas Smackover Formation
Click to see story on NWAHOMEPAGEDefending champion Celtics tip off new season with chip on their shoulders – Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Click to see story on Hawaii Tribune-HeraldMassive lithium reserve discovered in Arkansas could power global EV industry
Click to see story on Tech SpotLithium source in Arkansas could meet world demand ‘nine times over’, study says
Click to see story on KTHVUntracked Bias
Will Arkansas Become the New Lithium Mecca?
Click to see story on De TijdArkansas May Have Vast Lithium Reserves, Researchers Say
Click to see story on slashdot.orgArkansas may be sitting on 19 million tons of lithium
Click to see story on ElectrekArkansas might be home to around 19 million tons of lithium — researchers use machine learning to quantify lithium abundance in the Smackover Formation
Click to see story on Tom's HardwareLithium source in Arkansas could meet world demand ‘nine times over’, study says
Click to see story on BizTocResearchers say Arkansas may have 19M tons of lithium critical for battery power
Click to see story on The Baltimore PostResearchers say Arkansas may have 19M tons of lithium critical for battery power – More than 9 times what’s needed to meet projected global lithium demand in 2030 for EV batteries
Click to see story on Climate DepotResearchers say Arkansas may have 19M tons of lithium critical for battery power
Click to see story on illuminem.comStudy: South Arkansas may have enough lithium to meet world demand by 2030
Click to see story on n1info.rsArkansas has enough lithium for the world’s EVs — but getting to it is the problem
Click to see story on TheSpuzzThis tiny section of the US Southeast could hold enough lithium to cover battery needs for years – UK Times
Click to see story on uk-times.com19 million tons of lithium may be buried under Arkansas
Click to see story on csnbbs.comSouthern state could become ‘white gold’ boom town after $150 billion lithium reserve discovery Daily Mail Online
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