Mississippi looks to capitalize on new critical minerals industry

• “It aligns with President Donald J. Trump’s Energy Dominance agenda, and it will help strengthen America’s economy, energy independence, and national security,” Governor Reeves said of a new report outlining opportunities for Mississippi in the critical minerals industry.

Governor Tate Reeves (R) announced Wednesday that his office, along with the Mississippi Development Authority, was releasing a strategy to build out a new critical minerals industry in Mississippi.

“It aligns with President Donald J. Trump’s Energy Dominance agenda, and it will help strengthen America’s economy, energy independence, and national security,” Reeves said. “I’m excited about the opportunities this new industry can create for Mississippi and America.”

The Mississippi Development Authority report titled 2026 Mississippi Natural Resources Summit: Critical Minerals in the State outlines the strategy officials say will position Mississippi as a domestic producer of critical minerals.

MDA executive director Bill Cork said Mississippi has everything it takes to compete and lead in one of the most strategically important industries in the world.

“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,” Cork said. “This report makes clear that Mississippi can help secure America’s domestic supply chain while creating a powerful new engine for economic growth.”

Five key pillars are noted as necessary to advance this opportunity: legal certainty, operational capability, fiscal strategy, industrial ecology and social license. The report also recommends evaluating statutory and regulatory policies that could provide the legal framework needed to attract large-scale global investment to the state.

The report will serve 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. 

The Smackover Formation, a geologic unit deep beneath southern Mississippi, is a central part of the report. Historical data indicates the brines contain lithium concentrations as high as 340+ milligrams per liter, exceeding the 200 milligrams per liter threshold generally considered commercially viable. Officials said by using direct lithium extraction technology, Mississippi can repurpose existing oilfield infrastructure to support domestic production of critical minerals. 

The Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute at The University of Mississippi is also mentioned in the report 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, reducing drilling risks for private-sector partners.

Dr. Leonardo Macelloni, Director at the Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute, said their vision is to help transform Mississippi into a premier test bed for critical mineral innovation.

“By training the next generation of geologists and using advanced geomodeling, we can bridge the gap between raw geological data and industrial-scale production,” Macelloni said. “This report provides a framework for the institute and the state to expand our capabilities and deliver the science that helps de-risk multimillion-dollar investments.” 

The governor reiterated 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 is once again proving to the world that we’re not just attracting the industries of the future, we’re building them,” Governor Reeves added.

You can read the full report here.