Standard Lithium's Franklin Numbers Land as the Metal It Sells Keeps Sliding
Published on 10/27/2026 at 16:51 | Editorial boerse-global.de
Standard Lithium has filed the technical report underpinning the preliminary economic assessment of its Franklin project with SEDAR+ on 20 October, a submission made jointly with partner Equinor. The document sets out what the venture believes East Texas brine could deliver — and what it would cost to get there.
At the centre of the study sits a modelled annual output of up to 70,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium carbonate, sustained across a 20-year operating life. Cumulative production over that span is put at 1.29 million tonnes. Standard Lithium holds a 55% economic interest in Franklin; the capacity figures describe the whole project, which the company is developing alongside Equinor.
Returns Before Tax, and a Three-Year Payback
The economics are stated on a pre-tax basis throughout. The assessment carries an estimated unlevered net present value, NPV8, of $5.9 billion, alongside an internal rate of return of 25.7%. Payback is modelled at three years. On the strength of those figures, the study recommends advancing Franklin into a preliminary feasibility study — the next stage of technical review.
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Shareholders also learned of a boardroom change. Ralph Alexander joined Standard Lithium's Board of Directors as an independent member on 13 October, with immediate effect. The appointment predates the latest trading sessions and sits apart from the project work with Equinor. A Form 6-K has likewise been lodged with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, adding a further regulatory disclosure to the company's recent filing activity.
A Sector Headwind the Study Doesn't Model
The project numbers arrive against a deteriorating price backdrop for the end product. On Friday, the Chinese reference price for lithium carbonate stood at 97,000 yuan per tonne, down 2.37% from the prior session, according to media reports. Over the past month the benchmark has shed 27.15%.
That slide belongs to the wider industry environment rather than to Franklin itself, whose assessment addresses planned battery-grade carbonate capacity. Still, the gap between a 25.7% modelled return and a benchmark in retreat is the tension investors are left to weigh.
The equity has been volatile around the news flow. Shares fell 3.4% in the previous session to close at €1.24, then rebounded 7.6% to €1.33.
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