Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and other dignitaries at Element3 ribbon cutting ceremony Image by Office of the Texas Governornews release
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott celebrated in Midland the opening of the first facility in America to extract lithium from wastewater produced by the oil industry.
The Element3 Resources Permian Basin Lithium Extraction and Carbonate facility represents a significant advance in domestic production of a critical battery component. This facility could help reduce the United States’ reliance on foreign lithium supplies at a critical time. Demand for lithium has surged as electric vehicles and energy storage systems become increasingly common nationwide.
“Texas is America’s undisputed energy leader,” Abbott said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “The future of America depends on producing the elements essential to our supply chain for products we use every day.”
The governor emphasized lithium’s strategic importance beyond consumer goods.
“Lithium is one of those elements critical to batteries, advanced manufacturing, and national defense,” Abbott added.
Abbott praised what he called “quintessential Texas ingenuity” in the project’s approach. Element3’s technology extracts lithium from briny water that oil and gas operations typically dispose of as waste.
“By the grace of God, we have lithium and other essential rare earth materials right here in our own state,” Abbott said. “Element3’s plan is the epitome of quintessential Texas ingenuity, building the first lithium carbonate production plant from oilfield waste right here in the United States.”
The governor thanked the Trump administration for prioritizing American mineral self-reliance and declared that the future of America’s mineral dominance is happening in Texas.
Several federal officials attended the ceremony, including U.S. Department of Energy commercialization chief Anthony Pugliese. Element3 founder and CEO Hood Whitson, Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian, and retired Space Force Major General John M. Olson also joined the event.
Element3 focuses on extracting lithium and other materials from wastewater streams in the petroleum industry.
The Midland facility represents a potential win-win for Texas energy interests. It could transform an environmental liability into a valuable revenue stream while boosting domestic mineral production.