Evaluation of the lithium resource in the Smackover Formation brines of southern Arkansas using machine learning

• DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adp8149
• Publication Date: 2024-09-27T17:59:07Z
• Authors: Katherine J. Knierim; Madalyn S. Blondes; Andrew Masterson; Philip Freeman; Bonnie McDevitt; Amanda Herzberg; Peng Li; Ciara Mills; Colin Doolan; Aaron M. Jubb; Scott M. Ausbrooks; Jessica Chenault
• Keywords: Brine

Global demand for lithium, the primary component of lithium-ion batteries, greatly exceeds known supplies, and this imbalance is expected to increase as world transitions away from fossil fuel energy sources. High concentrations lithium in brines have been observed Smackover Formation southern Arkansas (>400 milligrams per liter). We used published newly collected brine concentration data train a random forest machine-learning model using geologic, geochemical, temperature explanatory variables create map predicted across Arkansas. Using these maps with reservoir parameters geologic information, we calculated that there are 5.1 19 million tons Arkansas, which represents 35 136% current US resource estimate. Based on calculations, 2022, 5000 dissolved were brought surface within waste streams oil, gas, bromine industries.