Standard Lithium files Franklin study for Standard Lithium stock

Published on 10/20/2026 at 14:44 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

The Franklin PEA models 70,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate yearly. Standard Lithium stock costs EUR 1.34 on October 20, 2026.

Franklin project economics

On October 20, 2026, Standard Lithium filed a study modeling 70,000 tonnes of annual lithium carbonate production.
The Franklin project shows a USD 5.9 billion pre-tax net present value and a 25.70 percent internal rate of return.
Standard Lithium stock traded at EUR 1.34 at 2:35 p.m. CEST at Lang & Schwarz on October 20, 2026.

SLI, CA8536061010, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Standard Lithium (ISIN CA8536061010) filed a preliminary economic assessment for its Franklin project on October 20, 2026, modeling annual production of up to 70,000 tonnes of battery-quality lithium carbonate. StockTitan reported that the project is being advanced with Equinor in East Texas.

Franklin economics set a high bar

The study models 1.29 million tonnes of total lithium carbonate over a 20-year operating life, with initial production potentially starting in the early 2030s. Its unlevered pre-tax net present value is USD 5.9 billion, while the internal rate of return is 25.70 percent and the modeled payback period is three years.

The same assessment sets average annual lithium cash operating costs at USD 4,226 per tonne and capital intensity at USD 49,945 per tonne. The project area expanded 37.00 percent from the prior maiden inferred resource report to 44,541 hectares, according to StockTitan.

Three milestones frame the plan

On September 28, 2026, Smackover Lithium expanded its Trafigura agreement by up to 4,000 tonnes per year, lifting possible Trafigura deliveries to 12,000 tonnes and total commitments with LG Energy Solution to 20,000 tonnes annually, as FinanzNachrichten reported.

On October 13, 2026, Standard Lithium appointed Ralph Alexander to its board and granted him 300,000 stock options, according to FinanzNachrichten. The October 20 Franklin filing is the latest milestone and recommends advancing the project to a preliminary feasibility study.

What does the project mean for financing?

The modeled returns provide a quantified development case, but the report identifies financing, construction costs, lithium prices, permitting and resource conversion as material risks. Standard Lithium holds a 55.00 percent economic interest in the partnership, while Equinor owns the remaining 45.00 percent, according to the project release.

Stock price stays in view

Standard Lithium's investor page identifies the company as a near-term US lithium developer using direct lithium extraction and lists NYSE American and TSX Venture Exchange listings under the SLI symbol. At Lang & Schwarz, the stock was trading at EUR 1.34 on October 20, 2026, at 2:35 p.m. CEST.

The further course of trading is shown by the continuously updated real-time quote of Standard Lithium stock.