“A miracle!”: discovered in an unexpected place, this gigantic lithium deposit could change everything

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Arkansas, land of Bill Clinton and fried chicken, has just revealed a treasure that could upset the global balance: a colossal lithium deposit capable of meeting nine times the world's demand by 2030.This spectacular discovery, nestled in the Smackover geological formation, promises to reshuffle the cards of the geopolitics of mineral resources.

With reserves estimated at between 5 and 19 million tonnes, this jackpot is beyond comprehension. For comparison, China, currently the world leader, has only 6.8 million tonnes of reserves. This discovery therefore sounds like a real bolt from the blue in the battery industry and, by extension, in the electronics and automobile industries.

In Arkansas, people already remember the heyday of the gold rush. This region, already experienced in oil and bromine mining, has a major asset: its existing infrastructure. No need to start from scratch, the facilities are there, ready to be adapted to extract the white gold from the depths of Smackover.

Industry experts are already rubbing their hands. This discovery comes at an opportune time, as demand for batteries for electric vehicles is exploding. The giants of the automobile industry, desperate to secure their supplies, see in this deposit a golden opportunity to free themselves from Chinese dependence.

The new Wild West

The road to this El Dorado is not paved with good intentions. Extracting lithium is a delicate matter that requires significant quantities of fresh water. In a region that sometimes experiences periods of drought, the management of this precious resource will have to be meticulously planned.

Local communities will also have their say. Mining can no longer be done as it was in the days of gold prospectors. Social acceptability and environmental preservation are now priorities, even if the newly elected American President seems far from these considerations. Companies will still have to juggle economic profitability and environmental responsibility.

The stakes are therefore high. This discovery could not only transform the United States into a lithium superpower, but also accelerate the transition to greener mobility. The economic benefits promise to be considerable for the region, with the creation of many jobs and the development of local expertise in the extraction of this precious metal. Make America Great Again ?

• Massive lithium deposit discovered in Arkansas could meet 9 times global demand by 2030
• Existing infrastructure makes exploitation easy, but major environmental challenges remain
• Discovery could revolutionize global battery market and strengthen U.S. energy independence

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