Mississippi could become a leader in producing raw materials and elements essential to the economy and national security, a new report finds.
The Mississippi Development Authority released Wednesday a 39-page report called the “2026 Mississippi Natural Resources Summit: Critical Minerals in the State,” which includes a strategy to position the Magnolia State as a domestic producer of critical minerals.
The report serves as the official record of the 2026 Mississippi Natural Resources Summit and provides a scientific and operational framework to support development of a new critical minerals industry centered specifically on lithium-rich brines, Gov. Tate Reeves said.
“Critical minerals are essential to America’s economic strength, energy independence, and national security. This report gives Mississippi the framework to build out a new critical minerals industry in our state, and it aligns with the Trump administration’s Energy Dominance agenda,” Reeves said.
“Mississippi is once again proving to the world that we’re not just attracting the industries of the future, we’re building them. I’m excited about the opportunities this new industry can create for Mississippi and America.”
Reeves and company believe a golden opportunity for Mississippi exists at the Smackover Formation, a geologic unit deep beneath the southern region of the state, which reportedly holds some of the world’s highest-grade, lithium-rich brines.
Historical data indicate brines contain lithium concentrations as high as 340+ milligrams per liter, exceeding the 200 milligrams per liter threshold generally considered commercially viable. By using direct lithium extraction technology, Mississippi can repurpose existing oilfield infrastructure to support domestic production of critical minerals.
“Evaluation of the Smackover Formation indicates that Mississippi contains one of the most prospective critical mineral-rich brine systems in the world – including lithium, boron, magnesium, and potassium,” said Dr. David T. Dockery III, state geologist and director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.
“Our office is ready to help industry explore. We can leverage the state’s $13.5 billion (in replacement costs) subsurface archive of cores and samples to help ensure Mississippi leads this new frontier in energy development,” he continued.
The report also highlights the role of the Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute at the University of Mississippi. As the state’s research and development engine for mineral resources, the institute is integrating high-performance computing and artificial intelligence to create digital models of the subsurface to reduce risk when drilling occurs.
The report further identifies five key pillars necessary to advance the critical minerals opportunity: legal certainty, operational capability, fiscal strategy, industrial ecology and social license. It also recommends evaluating policies that could provide the legal framework needed to attract large-scale global investment to the state.
Officials added that Mississippi’s initiative aligns with the Trump administration’s Energy Dominance agenda, including efforts to strengthen domestic production of critical minerals and secure domestic supply chains.
“Mississippi has everything it takes to compete and lead in one of the most strategically important industries in the world,” Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director Bill Cork said. “We have the right geology under our feet and the expertise and infrastructure in place to support the critical minerals that power our economy and safeguard our nation. This report makes clear that Mississippi can help secure America’s domestic supply chain while creating a powerful new engine for economic growth.”
The full plan can be viewed below.