EnergyX invests $20mn in lithium plant on former military site in Texas

US-based company Energy Exploration Technologies Inc. (EnergyX) has confirmed the location of its Project Lonestar™ Lithium pilot plant within the TexAmericas Center industrial park in Texarkana, Texas. The company will invest approximately $20mn to develop a 22,000-square-foot facility dedicated to direct lithium extraction, a strategic element for securing domestic supplies of critical metals.

Industrial conversion of a former military site

The selected location, TexAmericas Center, is a former United States Department of Defense property converted into a mixed-use industrial park. It spans 12,000 acres and already includes 3.5mn square feet of industrial buildings. This initiative is part of the centre’s strategy to attract high-value industries, particularly in the strategic materials and advanced manufacturing sectors.

EnergyX will deploy its proprietary LiTAS® direct lithium extraction technologies and SoLiS™, its solid-state battery system. Founded in 2018 and based in Austin, the company is aiming for rapid growth in the US critical materials market, responding to increasing demand from the battery sector.

Optimised logistics and industrial ecosystem

The selection of TexAmericas Center is based on several factors, including its strategic location, multimodal connectivity, and access to specialised regional labour. The aim is to build a facility capable of validating EnergyX’s processes at industrial scale while keeping logistics and operating costs under control.

Once operational, the site will create more than 40 skilled jobs, offering wages above sector averages. EnergyX also plans to offer employee equity participation and will implement an inclusive hiring policy focused on veterans, women, and minority-owned businesses.

Federal land reuse and domestic lithium production

The reuse of federal assets to support industrial projects linked to strategic metals is accelerating in the United States. The Texarkana site development follows this trend, providing a concrete response to the growing national need for lithium independence.

TexAmericas Center Chief Executive Officer Scott Norton stated that the facility aligns with their vision of an eco-industrial campus based on the reuse of existing infrastructure. He also highlighted the project’s potential to anchor a regional hub for strategic materials.