A lithium refinery that broke ground this week on construction of a $1.2 billion plant in Oklahoma will soon become one of the nation’s largest factories for producing materials for batteries, according to officials with Connecticut-based Stardust Power Inc.
Stardust Power says it is a developer of battery-grade lithium products designed to bolster America’s energy leadership by building resilient supply chains. The company forecasts that demand for lithium is expected to increase in coming years due to the growing demand for electric vehicles, renewable energy storage systems, portable electronics, and industrial applications.
In December 2024, the company said it had acquired the 66-acre site for the refinery in Muskogee, Oklahoma, as well as the right of first refusal for future expansion on an adjacent 40-acre parcel of land. In choosing those plots, it cited the location’s proximity to the country’s largest inland waterway system, robust road and rail networks, and a skilled workforce rooted in the oil and gas sector.
Up next, the project will be developed in two phases, with the first phase focused on constructing a production line capable of producing up to 25,000 metric tons per annum. The second phase will add a second production line, bringing the total capacity to 50,000 metric tons per annum.
As it moves into the construction stage of the project, the company said it would follow sustainable standards, including responsible corporate practices, climate action, and the energy transition. “Our lithium refinery will be crucial for addressing U.S. national security and supply chain risks. By onshoring critical mineral manufacturing, we are helping to sustain America’s energy leadership,” Stardust Power Founder and CEO, Roshan Pujari, said in a release. “At a time when foreign entities of concern are attempting to consolidate critical minerals, Stardust Power is proud to play a key role in safeguarding American interests and supporting Oklahoma’s local economy,” Pujari said.
Local officials cheered the project for the hundreds of jobs it is projected to create once fully operational, and for its role in helping strengthen the U.S. supply chain for critical minerals by reducing the nation’s reliance on China for the production of critical rare earth elements.
