EnergyX Bets on a Texas Border Town for U.S. Lithium

EnergyX launched a direct lithium extraction plant in Texarkana, targeting commercial scale within two years from a formation holding vast reserves.

26 Jun 2026

An old U.S. Army munitions facility on the Texas-Arkansas border is getting a second life. In March 2026, EnergyX opened a direct lithium extraction demonstration plant in Texarkana, rated at 250 tonnes per annum, and positioned it as a cornerstone of American battery supply strategy.

The geological case for the site is staggering. Below the facility lies the Smackover Formation, a deep brine deposit that geologists estimate holds between 5 and 19 trillion tonnes of lithium. That reserve alone could satisfy nine times projected 2030 worldwide EV battery demand. For automakers scrambling to lock in long-term supply, those numbers land like a thunderclap.

EnergyX calls Texarkana its "Battery Mecca," and the company isn't being modest. Leadership has set a firm target: commercial-scale production within two years of the March launch, driven by a resource base with few rivals on earth. Repurposing decommissioned military infrastructure for clean-energy use also adds a layer of policy symbolism that federal planners are unlikely to miss.

The extraction method matters as much as the location. Unlike conventional evaporation-pond operations, direct lithium extraction processes brine faster, consumes far less water, and leaves a much smaller footprint across surrounding ecosystems. Supply chains benefit too, since domestic production cuts dependence on imports and trims logistics timelines for U.S. battery manufacturers.

Should EnergyX hit its two-year commercial target, Texarkana's address may carry global weight for decades.