AUHighPlainsDrifter

Press release time, again....


Smackover Lithium Announces the Award of Last Key Construction Contract for the South West Arkansas Project Ahead of Final Investment Decision

All figures are in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

May 26, 2026 Lewisville, AR – Smackover Lithium, a partnership between Standard Lithium Ltd. (“Standard Lithium” or the “Company”) (TSXV: SLI) (NYSE.A: SLI) and Equinor, through subsidiaries of Equinor ASA, announced that it has entered into an engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (“EPCC”) agreement (the “Agreement”) with S&B Engineers and Constructors (“S&B”) for the Central Processing Facility (“CPF”) for the South West Arkansas Project (“SWA Project” or the “Project”).

S&B is an integrated EPC company with proven industrial construction expertise and a strong

U.S. and regional presence. S&B will be supported by Hatch Ltd. (“Hatch”), a global engineering, project delivery and professional services firm with extensive experience in mineral resource projects, and specific experience designing and commissioning lithium projects. Hatch will provide design engineering and commissioning support to S&B as a subcontractor.

S&B will deliver EPCC services including detailed engineering design, procurement, installation and construction, testing, startup and commissioning for the CPF. This includes receipt of brine (from wellfield), pre-treatment, direct lithium extraction, purification and concentration of the lithium chloride, conversion to a battery-quality lithium carbonate with final product crystallization, drying, micronizing, bagging and handling facilities, and all associated utilities. The CPF will be located on the Project’s 118-acre plot located in Lafayette County, AR.

The SWA Project is designed to produce 22,500 tonnes per annum of battery-quality lithium carbonate production in its initial phase. The CPF, and the scope of work under this Agreement, represents approximately two-thirds of the Project’s estimated capital expenditure, the latest published details of which are provided in the Definitive Feasibility Study filed on October 15th, 2025.

The Agreement includes a Limited Notice to Proceed (“LNTP”) that allows work to continue on key activities to de-risk the Project and optimize the construction schedule. Under the LNTP, work will focus on detailed engineering, advancing permitting and early procurement activities

related to identifying and engaging contractors and vendors of major equipment and materials. The expectation is to engage S&B on a Full Notice to Proceed following a positive Final Investment Decision, which is expected to occur in 2026.

Dr. Andy Robinson, President and COO of Standard Lithium stated, “We are excited to be working with S&B and Hatch who bring deep project experience and share our commitment to safety, operational excellence and disciplined project delivery. This partnership reflects the significant progress we have made in engineering and Project definition and positions us to move forward with greater cost and schedule visibility and execution confidence.”

"S&B is proud to partner with Smackover Lithium on this strategically important Project," said Jeff Sipes, CEO at S&B. “The innovative and extensive work they completed to date provides a strong foundation for the Project. Our team will leverage its expertise to support the delivery of a safe, high-quality production facility and contribute to growing a domestic lithium supply chain.”

Together with the separate and recently executed engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) agreement for the upstream wellfield portion of the Project with Wood Group USA, Inc., the key construction vendor contracts required prior to taking a Final Investment Decision are now complete. Smackover Lithium is actively working to complete the two primary remaining deliverables prior to taking a Final Investment Decision: finalizing customer offtakes and closing project financing.

The Definitive Feasibility Study for the SWA Project is available for review under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company’s website at LINK For highlights of this study, please refer to the Company’s press release dated 3 September 2025.

Qualified Person

All scientific and technical disclosure in this news release was reviewed and approved by Mr. Stephen Ross, P.Geo., British Columbia, Vice President of Resource Development for Standard Lithium and a Qualified Person for purposes of, and as that term is defined in, National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”). Mr. Ross is not independent of the Company.

Department of Energy Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation under award Number DE-MS0000099. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Department of Energy or the United States Government.

About Smackover Lithium

Smackover Lithium is a partnership between Standard Lithium and Equinor, through subsidiaries of Equinor ASA. Formed in May 2024, Smackover Lithium is developing multiple direct lithium extraction (“DLE”) projects in Southwest Arkansas and East Texas. Standard Lithium owns a 55% interest and Equinor holds the remaining 45% interest in the projects, with Standard Lithium maintaining operatorship.

About Standard Lithium Ltd.

Standard Lithium is a leading near-commercial lithium development company focused on the sustainable development of a portfolio of large, high-grade lithium-brine properties in the United States. The Company prioritizes projects characterized by high-grade resources, robust infrastructure, skilled labor, and streamlined permitting. Standard Lithium aims to achieve sustainable, commercial-scale lithium production via the application of a scalable and fully integrated DLE and purification process. The Company’s flagship projects are in the Smackover Formation, an attractive lithium brine asset, focused in Arkansas and Texas. In partnership with global energy leader Equinor, Standard Lithium is advancing the SWA Project, a greenfield project located in southern Arkansas, and actively advancing a promising lithium brine resource position in East Texas, including the highest known lithium brine grade project in North America, the Franklin Project.

Standard Lithium trades on both the TSX Venture Exchange (“TSXV”) and the NYSE American under the symbol “SLI”. Visit the Company’s website at www.standardlithium.com for more information.

I had always boiled mine for hours on end, but one football Saturday I wasn't feeling so patient so I searched for an Instapot recipe and settled on this one. They weren't as tender as I prefer them so I increased the time under pressure to 90 minutes w/a 30 minute natural release time. They turn out just as good as if you boil them all day. The amount of salt you use in the recipe is a matter of preference. I recommend starting with the generally accepted 1/2C per gallon of water and make adjustments from there. Of course, you can add other things to your brine if you want more than just salted nuts. I usually go with red pepper flakes since that is what I have on hand, but cajun seasoning or Old Bay work well too.

quote:

---

We like them. Prefer the spicy ones to plain and I like them a little softer.

---

That's how I like them too. I usually dump a bunch of red pepper flakes in the brine.

quote:

---

No, not a redneck. Take raw redbeans, soak in brine overnight, eat. At least you don't have to peel them.

I got to a backyard party one May, saw big pot boiling, mouth was watering until picked up the lid and saw peanuts, WTF is this shite, these aren't crawfish.

I'll save my share for the heathens who don't know better.

---

If you hadn't mentioned crawfish I would have thought that you were a damned yankee. It's OK though, not all Southerners have good taste.

quote:

---

You sound like one of those health food nutjobs

---

:lol:
Guilty!

quote:

---

anyone tried this place before? any good?

---

SC resident here....been eating Cookout for at least a decade. It's good. They use fresh beef that is never frozen, delivered daily, and they offer a good value for the money. Pre-covid, I would get their "Cookout tray", which was a double burger, plus your choice of two sides (usually fries and onion rings for me), plus a 32 oz drink for just $5.99+tax. It was, by far, the best deal in fast food burgers. I think the same thing now costs upwards of $10, but it's still a better deal than anything from the bigger burger chains.

I've run into that problem when adding them too soon to gumbo or low-country boil, but maybe it's different with gravy. IDK why it would be, but I'm not a food scientist. Maybe the viscosity of the gravy treats them a little kinder.

quote:

---

Cook your onions till they clear, add your shrimp and cook for about 25-30 minutes

---

IDK about that. Shrimp takes about 3-4 minutes to cook. Cooking them longer makes them tough.

Best deal in pizza right now is probably Domino's large with up to 7 toppings for $9.99.

Not all of them. Tom Cruise stole one.