Standard Lithium files positive economic assessment for 70,000 t/year Franklin lithium project in Texas

Standard Lithium and Equinor have filed a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for the Franklin lithium project in East Texas, projecting an annual production capacity of 70,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium carbonate over 20 years. The PEA highlights strong economics with a pre-tax NPV of $5.9 billion, an IRR of 25.7%, and a 3-year payback period, alongside low operating costs. The project area has expanded by 37%, featuring some of North America's highest lithium brine grades. Next steps include advancing to a Preliminary Feasibility Study and ongoing lithium extraction testing, aiming for initial production in the early 2030s.

As of Oct 20, 2026 18:11 WIB, Standard Lithium Ltd (SLI) shares are stable at USD 1.47 on Pluang, showing no change over the day. The stock holds a market cap of $365.22 million and an enterprise value of $228.14 million, with a typical hold time of 23 days. Buyer interest remains strong with 79% of order activity favoring purchases, highlighting steady investor engagement alongside the company's positive project outlook.