LG Energy Solution Secures U.S. Lithium Supply to Strengthen North American Battery Chain

LG Energy Solution has secured a long-term supply of lithium carbonate from Smackover Lithium, a U.S.-based development company, to bolster its battery materials chain in North America. The agreement, signed on September 1, will see LG Energy Solution purchasing 80,000 tons of lithium carbonate over a decade, commencing in 2029. This purchase amounts to roughly 8,000 tons annually. Smackover Lithium operates the South West Arkansas Project, utilizing direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology to produce lithium carbonate.

The deal aims to reduce LG Energy Solution's dependency on foreign sources of critical battery materials, bolstering its North American supply chain. Lithium carbonate is a crucial component in both lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and nickel-based ternary batteries. With North America's expanding energy storage system market and increased focus on LFP batteries, the U.S.-produced lithium is gaining attention.

DLE technology, employed in the Arkansas project, recovers lithium directly from underground brine, potentially lowering the environmental impact compared to conventional lithium production methods. Securing U.S.-produced lithium could aid LG Energy Solution in meeting the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act requirements, enhancing its supply chain stability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance.

Currently, LG Energy Solution operates or is building eight production facilities across North America. The latest agreement seeks to establish a more integrated regional supply chain, spanning raw material procurement and battery manufacturing. The company has also been diversifying its lithium sourcing beyond China, with prior agreements in Chile and Australia.

In February, LG Energy Solution divested its stake in Liontown, an Australian lithium producer, while maintaining its longstanding supply relationship and securing an 80 billion won investment return. LG Energy Solution's CEO, David Park, and Executive Vice President Lee Kang-yeol, emphasized the partnership's role in providing a foundation for long-term, sustainable U.S.-produced lithium carbonate supply and strengthening the company's access to environmentally produced critical minerals in North America.