Project Overview

The Franklin Project is an early-stage lithium brine prospect the partnership is advancing as part of its Smackover expansion efforts. It will be the first of three planned projects in the region. We have secured a significant brine lease position, drilled, and sampled lithium brine to develop a resource and future production.

East Texas Fact Sheet January 2026
Landowner Fact Sheet January 2026

Development Plan

A maiden resource report was recently released for the Franklin Project. This report found the highest reported lithium-in-brines grades in North America. The partnership is re-entering shut-in wells to gather data, plans on drilling additional appraisal wells and will continue to lease brine-sourced minerals in the Franklin Project area.

Smackover Lithium is targeting potential production of over 100,000 tonnes of lithium chemicals per year in Texas in multiple phases. This goal is supported by two additional projects planned to develop in East Texas that are anticipated to roughly triple the size of the partnership’s portfolio area in the state.

Maiden Resource Report
  • The most recent brine samples from our wells in East Texas confirm the exceptional quality of the lithium brine assets we’re acquiring. We are confident that East Texas will develop into a globally-significant lithium brine asset.
    Allison Thurmond
    Vice President of US Lithium at Equinor