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Unassuming Arkansas town is about to become epicenter of US’s lithium boom: Magnolia – a blue-collar town where 25% of its 11k population are unemployed – is sitting on a multi-billion-dollar gold mine of precious metal… and oil companies are circling

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Unassuming Arkansas town is about to become epicenter of US’s lithium boom: Magnolia – a blue-collar town where 25% of its 11k population are unemployed – is sitting on a multi-billion-dollar gold mine of precious metal… and oil companies are circling


A small, quiet Arkansas town home to just 11,100 people is set to become the epicenter of the US ‘white gold’ boom.

Magnolia, a blue-collar town in the state’s southern region, was once a locus for oil but is on track to become a major producer of lithium, dubbed ‘white gold’ because of its soft, silvery-white look and the fact it powers most modern tech – from cellphones to laptops and electric cars.

Exxon Mobil is planning to build one of the world’s largest lithium processing facilities near the town, with a capacity to produce 75,000 to 100,000 metric tons of lithium a year, sources say, which would be 15 percent of the world’s lithium production.

The town is located on what is known as the Smackover formation, a geological formation that runs from Texas to Florida and is brimming with saltwater brine – which contains small amounts of lithium.

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Magnolia mayor Parnell Vann, told DailyMail.com he hopes the projects will bring the town back to its former glory, creating thousands of new jobs. Magnolia currently has a 26.6 percent unemployment rate.

But the irony is that the US’s move from fossil fuels to lithium-powered electric batteries is not entirely environmentally friendly. To extract one ton of lithium requires about 500,000 liters of water, and can result in the poisoning of reservoirs and related health problems.

A small, quiet Arkansas town home to just 11,100 people is set to become the epicenter of the US ‘white gold’ boom

The Magnolia mayor is optimistic about the projects but told DailyMail.com that the only thing standing in the way would be the town's housing shortage

The Magnolia mayor is optimistic about the projects but told DailyMail.com that the only thing standing in the way would be the town’s housing shortage

Magnolia, a blue-collar town in the state's southern region, was once a locus for oil but is on track to become a major lithium producer

Magnolia, a blue-collar town in the state’s southern region, was once a locus for oil but is on track to become a major lithium producer

‘Lithium is going to be huge [in Magnolia],’ Vann said.

‘It is not so much as the lithium but the jobs that will go with it.’

He added that everything from truck stops to auto body shops and clothing stores in and around the small town will see growth.

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Magnolia is home to one grocery store, the Piggly Wiggly, and when the projects begin operation, Vann expects the town will need another to meet the demand of the new jobs. 

Exxon Mobil purchased 120,000 gross acres in May and is developing more than 6,100 lithium-rich acres in Arkansas with Tetra Technologies.

Exxon Mobil predicts it could produce up to 110,000 tons of lithium annually, enough to power 50 million electric vehicles.

Tetra, which produces chemicals for water treatment and recycling, in June said it had signed an agreement with a company known as Saltwerx to develop 6,138 acres of salty brine deposits in Arkansas that are filled with lithium and bromine, although it provided few additional details.

Saltwerx is a subsidiary of Exxon, according to two people familiar with the matter. 

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Also moving into the southern state is Vancouver-based Standard Lithium, which secured rights for 30,000 acres of brine leases west of Magnolia. 

Standard Lithium announced in May that it sampled Arkansas’s highest confirmed lithium-grade brine, according to Magnolia Reporter.

 ‘If I understand the story right, Exxon Mobil bought mineral rights from a group Galvanic Energy and – Tetra and Standard are in bed with Exxon Mobil, Vann said. 

Parnell Vann told DailyMail.com that he first learned the mineral was in his town five years ago and heard Exxon Mobil, Tetra Technologies and Standard Lithium could be moving in to extract it

Parnell Vann told DailyMail.com that he first learned the mineral was in his town five years ago and heard Exxon Mobil, Tetra Technologies and Standard Lithium could be moving in to extract it

While it is unknown how much money the companies are pouring into the projects, a 7,000-acre refinery set for California will cost $500 million.

And then it takes about $5,000 to $8,000 per ton to produce lithium. 

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The Magnolia mayor is optimistic about the projects but told DailyMail.com that the only thing standing in the way would be the town’s housing shortage. 

Vann said it had been at least 20 years since the last housing project and is set to present his concerns to the city council Monday.

He also said Magnolia is improving its infrastructure and just completed a $5 million water project that changed cast iron pipes for plastic.

‘We got to get ready. If you come here to work in lithium and have no place to live, you won’t come back,’ said Vann.

We plan on taking advantage of [the lithium boom]. I would love to see another 5,000 people call Magnolia home.

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Exxon Mobil purchased 120,000 gross acres in May and is developing more than 6,100 lithium-rich acres in Arkansas with Tetra Technologies. Vann said Exxon Mobil purchased the land from Galvanic Energy

Exxon Mobil purchased 120,000 gross acres in May and is developing more than 6,100 lithium-rich acres in Arkansas with Tetra Technologies. Vann said Exxon Mobil purchased the land from Galvanic Energy

Also moving into the southern state is Vancouver-based Standard Lithium, which secured rights for 30,000 acres of brine leases west of Magnolia

Also moving into the southern state is Vancouver-based Standard Lithium, which secured rights for 30,000 acres of brine leases west of Magnolia

‘We have a lot to offer, but like every small town in America, we have limited funds.’

The US is slowly abandoning gas-powered cars for electric vehicles to reduce greenhouse gas emissions –  but the shift also means it will be more reliant on other countries, like China, to provide the necessary materials.

Extracting lithium on US soil would help the nation on its path to self-reliance, which the country has strived to be, but has yet to obtain.

The nation is home to only one active lithium mine, Clayton Valley, near Silver Peak, Nevada, but many companies are working to change that.

Lithium Americas was approved Monday to build the largest lithium mine in North America.

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The site will be Nevada’s Thacker Pass, which is expected to produce at least 80,000 tons of the soft metal each year. 

And Salton Sea in California is set to be mined by EnergySource Minerals.

While lithium plays a critical role in the transition to clean energy, extracting white gold can lead to long-term ecological damage.

The lithium extraction process uses a lot of water— more than 500,000 liters per ton of lithium. 

Miners drill a hole in salt flats to extract lithium and pump salty, mineral-rich brine to the surface. 

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After several months, the water evaporates, leaving a mixture of manganese, potassium, borax and lithium salts, which is then filtered and placed into another evaporation pool. 

After 12 and 18 months of this process, the mixture is sufficiently filtered so lithium carbonate can be extracted.

Over a year, producing 60,000 tons of lithium at Thacker Pass in Nevada could devastate the surrounding environment – up to 30 million tons of earth needs to be dug.

This is more than the annual amount of dirt dug up to produce all coal output of all but seven or eight US states 

In May 2016, dead fish were found floating in China’s Liqi River, where a toxic chemical leaked from the Ganzizhou Rongda Lithium mine.

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Cow and yak carcasses were also found floating in the river, likely killed by drinking the contaminated water.

Lithium extraction also harms the soil and causes air contamination. 

In Argentina’s Salar de Hombre Muerto, residents believe lithium operations contaminated streams used by humans and livestock for crop irrigation. 

In Chile, the landscape is marred by mountains of discarded salt and canals filled with contaminated water with an unnatural blue hue. 

According to Guillermo Gonzalez, a lithium battery expert from the University of Chile, ‘This isn’t a green solution – it’s not a solution at all.’

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Arkansas

Knowing the Florida Gators Opponent: Arkansas Razorbacks

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Knowing the Florida Gators Opponent: Arkansas Razorbacks


Gainesville, Fla. – The Florida Gators men’s basketball team’s next destination is Fayetteville, Ark., as they’ll take on the Arkansas Razorbacks (11-4, 0-2) on Saturday for their third SEC matchup of the season. 

Florida is currently sitting at 14-1 on the season and 1-1 in conference play. They opened their SEC slate with a nail-biting loss to the Kentucky Wildcats, losing 106-100 in Lexington. 

However, the Gators were able to avenge this loss with one of the most dominant wins in men’s basketball history on Tuesday over No. 1 Tennessee. They trounced the Volunteers 73-43 in the O’Dome, marking the Gators’ first regular-season win over an AP No. 1-ranked team in program history and the biggest win over a No. 1-ranked team in the NCAA since 1968. 

But enough about what Florida has done this season, let’s shift the focus to their opponents, the Razorbacks, and see who they are. 

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Arkansas’ season started out nice with a win over Lipscomb. However, it wouldn’t be the same for them in their second game of the season against then-ranked No. 8 Baylor, as they found themselves on the losing end of a tightly contested battle. 

Then, following a good stretch for the team in red, they were tasked with the current No. 13 in the AP Poll, Illinois, and things wouldn’t go so well for new Razorbacks head coach John Calipari. His team was outclassed in this game 90-77, which ended their winning streak at four. 

Arkansas did make amends with their fans a few games later, though. While participating in the Jimmy V Classic, they matched up with then-ranked No. 14 Michigan, who they narrowed past 89-87. 

This win over the Wolverines helped maintain a three-game win streak that would eventually turn into a six-game streak. However, since SEC play started for the Razorbacks, they are 0-2 with losses to Tennessee and Ole Miss, who are currently ranked in the Top 25 AP Poll. 

These pair of losses put Arkansas at just a 1-4 record against teams on their schedule to have been ranked or that are currently ranked.

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While it was a complete roster overhaul for Calipari and the Razorbacks this offseason that was fueled by the transfer portal, their biggest grab has been from the high school ranks. 

They added highly ranked players like Johnell Davis, Adou Thiero and Jonas Aidoo all from the portal, but it’s former five-star guard Boogie Fland who’s been arguably the best player for the Razorbacks this season. 

Fland is averaging 15.5 points, 5.9 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game through 15 games this season. He is also connecting on 35.7 percent of his threes, which shows he’s more than just an inside scorer. Additionally, his 5.9 assists rank 24th among his competitors. 

But in these first two SEC games, Fland is just 10-for-35 from the field and 3-for-17 from deep. 

If the Gators can’t keep him in check like he’s been over these last two, then it might be a long afternoon for the visitors on Saturday. 

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Despite bringing in tons of talent that should’ve resulted in a great offense, Arkansas has been anything but that. 

They currently rank inside the bottom five teams in the SEC in scoring offense, averaging 79.4 points per game. They do have two players scoring at least 15.0 points per game, but that’s pretty much it. Outside of Thiero (16.9) and Fland, they only have one other player in double figures (DJ Wagner, 10.5). 

Moreover, if this becomes a free-throw-dominated affair, the Gators shouldn’t be too worried about the Razorbacks’ performance at the line. They are shooting 71.1 percent from the charity stripe, which is good for 12th in the league. 

And, lastly, they have little to no presence on the glass. They are the worst team in the SEC in offensive rebounding, and they are 13th out of 16 teams in overall rebounding. These are two areas where the Gators dominate, and if things play out like they have been this season, then the visitors should outmuscle their counterparts. 

This game will be televised on Saturday at 4 pm on ESPN. 

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Viewer pictures: The Natural State transforms into a winter wonderland

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Viewer pictures: The Natural State transforms into a winter wonderland


LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A winter storm rolled into Arkansas Thursday and brought with it snow to the majority of western and central Arkansas.

Many from around the Natural State sent in pictures of their area covered in snow.

Though Arkansas is already full of natural beauty, there’s something about the state covered in snow that makes it even more of a winter wonderland.

Several kids from around the state got out and took advantage of the day off of school by throwing snowballs, digging up the snow, sledding and of course making snow angels.

Many who got out in the snow had enough accumulated to make snow men.

Share your snow day pictures at KARK.com/winter-pics.

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Arkansas Blue Cross & Blue Shield Lays Off About 75 Workers, Reports $100M Loss

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Arkansas Blue Cross & Blue Shield Lays Off About 75 Workers, Reports 0M Loss


Arkansas Blue Cross & Blue Shield sent layoff notices to 2% of its workforce — about 75 employees — on Thursday after reporting a loss of more than $100 million in the first three quarters of 2024, the state’s dominant health insurance carrier confirmed.

The Little Rock nonprofit had 3,375 employees as of April 2024, and its $3.14 billion in 2023 revenue put it at the top of Arkansas Business‘ most recent list of the state’s largest private companies. 

But revenue in the first three quarters of 2024 was down by almost 7%, and the company (officially USAble Mutual) reported to the Arkansas Insurance Department a net loss of $100.5 million for those nine months. That compares with net income of $94.7 million for the same period in 2023, although the year finished with net income of just $13.2 million.

“The reduction in workforce was due to changing conditions in the market and increasing financial pressures primarily due to health care costs jumping to the highest levels in more than a decade,” Max Greenwood, an ABCBS spokeswoman, said in response to email questions Thursday afternoon. 

ABCBS also has seen “large increases” in the use of all medical services, especially prescription drugs.

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“These situations have caused necessary shifts in business strategy across the health care and health care insurance industries,” she said.

In addition, the insurance company lost tens of thousands of members as result of the state’s disenrollment of tens people on Medicaid in 2023. 

As part of the Obama-era Medicaid expansion, the state pays private insurers to provide health insurance policies to qualifying Arkansans under the Arkansas Health & Opportunity for Me program, or ARHOME. This program had been known as the “private option” and Arkansas Works.

In January 2023, ABCBS had about 207,000 ARHome members. By December 2024, it was  down to 108,729, Greenwood said. 

“We’ve also seen a drastic increase in the claims amounts among our ARHome population,” she said. “Remember, since we were the first company who offered ARHome policies statewide when the program began, our block of members in that program is older and most likely unhealthier than what other carriers may be experiencing.”

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ABCBS’ premium revenue fell during the first three quarters of 2024. It reported $2.2 billion premiums collected net of reinsurance through Sept. 30, a 4.8% drop from the same period in 2023.

The insurance company’s total members also fell from 630,444 on Dec. 31, 2023, to 598,492 on Sept. 30. The biggest drop came from its comprehensive individual plan. In that group, the total members fell nearly 17% to 132,596 members. 

ABCBS also laid off 85 employees in January 2024. Those positions have not been refilled, Greenwood said.

She said it was too early to tell what the financial numbers will look like for the fourth quarter, which ended Dec. 31. No additional layoffs are planned at this time.

“Every executive vice president was asked to make reductions in their areas,” she said. 

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Greenwood said the insurance company has made several other budget-tightening moves for 2025. “We’ve reduced our budget by more than 7% including cuts to consulting and outside vendor costs, contract labor, software and equipment and facility costs,” she said. “We’ve also had to implement substantial premium increases on our small and large groups.”

Greenwood said the company has a strong balance sheet and has no concerns about its liquidity.   

Founded in 1948, Arkansas Blue Cross & Blue Shield offers health and dental insurance policies for individuals and families. 

 

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