Faces and places: Our Arkansas lithium project

Our very first lithium project is made possible by a team of experts from across our company. Their groundbreaking effort in southwest Arkansas will provide more lithium for electric vehicle batteries, with less environmental impact. They’re also unlocking a potentially significant new supply of lithium in North America, which today produces relatively little of this critical mineral.

Article Nov. 13, 2023

Click below to meet some of our lithium team.

1/8 Patrick Howarth, Global Business Manager, Low Carbon Solutions: “Globally, only about 1% of cars on the road today are EVs. By 2050, that number could be as high as 40%. Our team is ready to help meet that skyrocketing demand and play a leading role in lithium production.”

Female worker wearing safety vest, goggles and hard hat.

2/8 Ashley Palomino, Portfolio Manager, Environmental and Property Solutions: “Everyone I collaborate with is proud to be a part of this project. It’s a brand-new area for the company, and there’s a sense that we’re laying the groundwork for something that will really contribute to a lower-emission future.”

Ashley Palomino, Portfolio Manager, Environmental and Property Solutions, walks one of the sites in Arkansas Columbia County where weve begun our lithium work. The lithium-rich brine reservoirs we plan to produce are about 10,000 feet underground.

3/8 Ashley Palomino, Portfolio Manager, Environmental and Property Solutions, walks one of the sites in Arkansas’ Columbia County where we’ve begun our lithium work. The lithium-rich brine reservoirs we plan to produce are about 10,000 feet underground.

Female wearing a blazer jacket in front of window.

4/8 Layne Bashor, Customer Development Advisor, Low Carbon Solutions: “We have a long and successful relationship with automakers. As they look to bring more EVs to market, they need a partner they can rely on. Being able to offer automakers domestically sourced lithium for their batteries is really exciting for them – and us.”

Male wearing hat and glasses standing next to truck

5/8 Rémi Loiseau, Lithium Opportunity Manager, Global Projects: “Building our new lithium business will require experts in engineering, technology, project management, geoscience, drilling, operations, supply chains and more. That’s a great fit for us, because we have those fully integrated capabilities – and the people who can deliver them.”

6/8 Lydia Johnson, Vice President, Product Development, Low Carbon Solutions: “The environmental benefits of this project are twofold. First, putting more EVs on the road means fewer emissions from the transportation sector, which today accounts for nearly a quarter of energy-related global emissions. And second, our production process is expected to be about two-thirds less carbon intensive than traditional lithium mining.”

Collage showing downtown murals and American flags

8/8 Magnolia, Arkansas (pop. 11,577) is just a few miles from our initial lithium sites. As the murals in its downtown show, the area has a history as an oil and gas producer. In fact, the Magnolia oil field was the nation’s largest producer during World War II, helping sustain the U.S. war effort. Today, the area is home to a range of industries, including bromine, aluminum and timber – as well as the annual Magnolia Blossom Festival and World Championship Steak Cook-off, which draws thousands.

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Faces and places: Our Arkansas lithium project

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