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.
The 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.
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.
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.
