If commercially recoverable, the amount of lithium present would meet the projected 2030 world demand for lithium in car batteries nine times over.

Federal and state researchers said there might be five million to 19 million tons of lithium, more than enough to meet the world’s demand for the battery ingredient.

New research suggests that Arkansas may be home to upwards of 19 million tons of lithium reserves, which would give the United States an opportunity to lead in the electric vehicle industry. The United States Geological Survey unveiled the findings on Monday,

A study conducted by the USGS estimates that Arkansas's Lithium reserves could be 9x more than the projected global Lithium demand for EVs in 2030.

Researchers say the Smackover Formation could hold enough lithium to supply global demand for years to come — if it can be commercially recovered.

Researchers now estimate how much “white gold” may be found in southern Arkansas's vast lithium reserves: up to 19 million tons, or enough to meet the projected 2030 world demand nine times over.

A recent article published in the journal Science Advances suggests that Arkansas may have as much as 19 million tons of raw lithium, which could be mined and used in rechargeable batteries.