Lithium operation in south Arkansas ‘would put us in such an incredible position ...,’ official says
SOUTH ARKANSAS (KSLA) — KSLA News 12 gave you the First Alert on Monday about ExxonMobil’s major land purchase in south Arkansas.
That land will be used in the first phase of the company’s lithium production in the Smackover region.
“That would put us in such an incredible position in the region to be producing 15% of the world’s lithium,” said Clint O’Neal, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission.
He said the announcement brings the promise of countless jobs and serious growth to the southern area of the state.
“And if you just think about all the add-on benefits to that, all the manufacturing companies that need those products that would want to be close by to that production,” he added. “These are going to be advanced manufacturing jobs, high-paying jobs.”
The lithium extraction is targeted to begin in 2027.
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