SWA Lithium LLC, a US subsidiary of Equinor Energy (45%) and Standard Lithium Ltd. (55%), has been selected for up to $225 million award negotiation from the US Department of Energy (DOE) as part of the US government’s investment in supply chains of domestic lithium production.
This selection, overseen by the DOE's Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC), is part of the second wave of funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The provisional grant is dependent on completing successful final negotiations with the DOE.
The South West Arkansas project in the Smackover formation in Arkansas targets a total output of 45,000 tpy of lithium carbonate, to be developed in two phases of 22,500 tonnes/year (tpy) each of battery-quality lithium carbonate utilizing direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology (OGJ Online, May 8, 2024). The DOE funding would support construction of the central processing facility (CPF) for Phase 1.
The project is to be sited on a 118-acre property in rural Lafayette County, Ark., about 7 miles south of Lewisville, Ark. The brine unit that will source lithium-bearing brine spans lands in Lafayette and Columbia counties.