Smackover Lithium’s South West Arkansas Project Receives Unanimous Vote of Approval to Establish the Phase I Brine Production Unit from the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission
LEWISVILLE, Ark., April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Smackover Lithium, a Joint Venture (“JV”) between Standard Lithium Ltd. (“Standard Lithium” or the “Company”) (TSXV:SLI) (NYSE:A:SLI) and Equinor, is pleased to announce that the brine production unit, now formally named the Reynolds Unit, for Phase I of its South West Arkansas (“SWA”) Project has been unanimously approved by the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission (“AOGC”) with no objections or opposition in a hearing that was open to all stakeholders from the community.
“We thank the AOGC for their due diligence in reviewing our application and for their swift approval,” said Standard Lithium’s President and COO, Dr. Andy Robinson, who provided testimony at the hearing. “The establishment of the Reynolds brine unit is another key milestone our team has now successfully completed as we march towards a final investment decision for the SWA Project, and also a necessary statutory requirement as we look to set a royalty for the unit in late May.”
“Gaining regulatory approval for our first brine unit is an important step in our project timeline. We look forward to working with the AOGC and community stakeholders to establish a competitive royalty rate for this unit and continue momentum with the SWA Project,” said Allison Kennedy Thurmond, VP of US Lithium at Equinor.
The Reynolds unit is 20,854 acres in size and is planned to produce 22,500 tonnes per year of battery-quality lithium carbonate once in full commercial production, expected in 2028. For more information about the SWA Project and Smackover Lithium, please visit www.smackoverlithium.com
About Standard Lithium Ltd.
Standard Lithium is a leading near-commercial lithium development company focused on the sustainable development of a portfolio of large, high-grade lithium-brine properties in the United States. The Company prioritizes projects characterized by the highest quality resources, robust infrastructure, skilled labor, and streamlined permitting. Standard Lithium aims to achieve sustainable, commercial-scale lithium production via the application of a scalable and fully integrated Direct Lithium Extraction (“DLE”) and purification process. The Company’s flagship projects are located in the Smackover Formation, a world-class lithium brine asset, focused in Arkansas and Texas. In partnership with global energy leader Equinor, Standard Lithium is advancing the South West Arkansas project, a greenfield project located in southern Arkansas, and actively exploring promising lithium brine prospects in East Texas. Standard Lithium also holds an interest in certain mineral leases in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California.
Standard Lithium trades on both the TSX Venture Exchange and the NYSE American under the symbol “SLI”. Please visit the Company’s website at www.standardlithium.com.
About Equinor
Equinor is an international energy company committed to long-term value creation in a low-carbon future. Equinor’s portfolio of projects encompasses oil and gas, renewables and low-carbon solutions, with an ambition of becoming a net-zero energy company by 2050. Headquartered in Norway, Equinor is the leading operator on the Norwegian continental shelf and is present in around 30 countries worldwide. Our partnership with Standard Lithium to mature DLE projects builds on our broad US energy portfolio of oil and gas, offshore wind, low carbon solutions and battery storage projects.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain certain “Forward-Looking Statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “target”, “plan”, “forecast”, “may”, “schedule” and other similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to intended development timelines, future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, regulatory or government requirements or approvals, the reliability of third party information, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, fluctuations in the market for lithium and its derivatives, changes in exploration costs and government regulation in Canada and the United States, and other factors or information. Such statements represent the Company’s current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.
