Muskogee, Oklahoma Selected for New Lithium Refinery

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Muskogee, Okla.– Stardust Power, a Connecticut-based corporation, has set its eyes on the Port of Muskogee. The company is planning to build a refinery that manufactures lithium-grade battery products. Southside Industrial Park was chosen for its central location in the U.S. to allow for easy transportation. The company expects to be eligible for economic incentives up to $257 million based on performance. 

The refinery will host the manufacturing of lithium and support the shipment of products, mainly EV batteries. Stardust seeks to use only renewable energy sources to power lithium production. 

Despite the state’s long history of fossil fuel production, it has quickly become one of the top producers of green energy in America. As of 2022, Oklahoma is 4th in the nation for electricity generation from renewable sources. Traverse Wind, one of the largest wind farms in North America, is located in the state.

Governor Kevin Stitt said in a press statement, “Stardust Power’s more than a billion-dollar investment is a testament to Oklahoma’s ‘all-of-the-above’ approach to energy, and our focus on workforce development.” President of Stardust Power Roshan Pujari also commented, “Oklahoma offers many advantages for private employers, including a strong, well-trained workforce and an eye on the future of energy production and mobility.”

Company Investments in Oklahoma

The state has recently struggled with securing out-of-state company investment.
In 2022, Panasonic chose Kansas to house a battery plant over Oklahoma. Lawmakers initially proposed a $698 million incentive for the plant but were out-bid by Kansas’ $1 billion proposal.  

In 2020, Tesla had shown interest in building a Gigafactory in Tulsa. Despite efforts from city and state officials, the company decided to build its new facility in Austin, TX. The main reason for the decision was that Telsa executives would rather live in Austin than Tulsa. 

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Some critics say the state’s conservative political nature is a weak selling point for national companies. Others say the state lacks the essential infrastructure to host thousands of new jobs.

Keith Gåddie, an associate dean at OU’s Gibbs College of Architecture, told The Frontier, “This has always been a problem for Oklahoma. We simply have not had the capacity to produce a workforce sufficient for these industries and firms.”

Lithium Production

Lithium is a critical component for the manufacturing of cell phones, EV batteries, and laptops. Smaller electronics like electric toothbrushes also use lithium-ion components. Mining production of the metal has more than doubled in the past ten years. Australia, Chile, and China are the top three lithium producers globally. 

Mining processes include harvesting from sedimentary rock, hard rock, and through evaporation of brine water. 

However, 75% of lithium reserves are located in what’s known as the “Lithium Triangle.” The three countries that comprise this triangle are Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia. The metal here is found in geothermal brines and commonly mined in salt flats. 

The lithium triangle is host to a large population of Indigenous communities. This has caused a rift between corporations and locals. Mining procedures are heavily dependent on water resources and have intensified water scarcity. 

Water contamination is common in lithium production and can easily affect freshwater supplies. 

Lithium has also been a source of pollution in China’s Jin River. Known as the “Lithium Capital of Asia,” Yichun in East China and has many lithium processing facilities. 

In December 2022, lithium production was halted in the region because of abnormal water quality. Thirteen years prior, a different lithium production was found at fault for leaking toxic waste into the Liqi River. 

In addition to lithium, cobalt and nickel are also used to produce EV batteries. The Democratic Republic of Congo has a high volume of cobalt reserves. High interest in cobalt has led to many humanitarian issues in DRC including the use of child labor. 

Ultimately, the environmental impact of hosting a lithium refinery in Oklahoma will be revealed with time.