EnergyX signs agreement with Compass Minerals for up to 30,000-ton lithium DLE facility in Utah

EnergyX said it has signed an agreement with Compass Minerals to advance a planned direct lithium extraction and refining facility in Utah, near the Great Salt Lake, in a deal that could eventually support production of up to 30,000 tons a year.

Reuters first reported the partnership on May 18, and EnergyX followed with a PR Newswire release the same day confirming the agreement. The companies have not publicly detailed the full legal structure of the arrangement, but both descriptions point to a project aimed at re-entering lithium production in Utah.

The project page for EnergyX describes a phased buildout. Phase one would target about 10,000 tons per year from existing Compass Minerals ponds, while phase two would expand the project to 30,000 tons per year.

Compass Minerals previously had a lithium effort in Utah, and Reuters framed the new partnership as a return to the lithium market for the company. The announcement adds another U.S. critical-minerals project to a sector that has drawn strong policy and commercial interest.

Key questions remain, including the timing for construction, permitting and first production. The companies have not yet publicly laid out a detailed schedule, and the agreement’s binding scope was not immediately clear from the available reporting.