Globenewswireยท2025-09-24 12:30Core Insights - Smackover Lithium, a joint venture between Standard Lithium and Equinor, announced a maiden inferred resource for its Franklin Project in Texas, highlighting significant lithium, potash, and bromide resources [1][3] - The project contains 2.2 million tonnes of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) at an average lithium grade of 668 mg/L, along with 15.4 million tonnes of potash and 2.6 million tonnes of bromide [1][5] - The inferred resource marks a critical step towards achieving a production goal of over 100,000 tonnes of lithium chemicals annually through multiple phases [1][3] Company Overview - Standard Lithium is focused on sustainable lithium development, prioritizing high-grade resources and efficient permitting processes [20] - The company aims to achieve commercial-scale lithium production using a scalable direct lithium extraction (DLE) process [20] - Equinor, a partner in the joint venture, is committed to long-term value creation in a low-carbon future, with a diverse portfolio including oil, gas, and renewable energy projects [22] Project Details - The Franklin Project covers approximately 80,000 acres, with over 46,000 acres leased to support the inferred resource [5][9] - Exploration activities included 2D seismic surveys and the completion of three exploration wells in 2023, which confirmed high lithium brine concentrations [5][12] - The maiden resource report indicates a total inferred resource of 2,159,000 metric tonnes of LCE, 15,414,000 tonnes of potash, and 2,638,000 tonnes of bromide [5][7] Future Plans - The joint venture plans to further characterize the resource through additional drilling and seismic testing, aiming to refine the understanding of the aquifers and brine chemistry [14][15] - Direct lithium extraction testing will be conducted to leverage insights from Standard Lithium's existing demonstration plant [15]