The lithium chloride will feed directly into Stardust Power’s processing facility in Muskogee, Oklahoma, providing a reliable, US sourced supply as the company advances toward its final investment decision and the start of major construction.
“We see strong strategic alignment between Mandrake’s Utah Lithium Project and our vision for a fully integrated American lithium supply chain. The project is a well-positioned US brine asset with a clear path to development, offering scale, access to existing infrastructure, and a large brine resource that could be advanced efficiently with limited capital intensity. Utah’s regulatory stability and federal support for domestic critical minerals development make it one of the most compelling jurisdictions for lithium growth,” said Pablo Cortegoso, Chief Technical Officer and Co-Founder of Stardust Power.
The Utah project benefits from proximity to key transport routes and established infrastructure, enabling straightforward delivery to the Port of Muskogee, situated in close proximity to the Stardust Power site. The Utah supply deal further validates Stardust Power’s model of a large central refinery strategically located in the center of the country. This geographic advantage provides the ability to source from multiple suppliers from varying jurisdictions. Mandrake’s lithium chloride will complement Stardust Power’s centralised refinery model, designed to efficiently process multiple chloride inputs. This flexibility allows the Company to optimise production, maintain consistent output, and aggregate and integrate additional lithium sources as they come online. By securing a quality, US-sourced feedstock from Mandrake, Stardust Power reinforces its role as a critical hub for domestic lithium supply and strengthens its position with customers and strategic partners.
The agreement covers a twelve-year term with an optional six-year extension at the company’s discretion, potentially providing up to 18 years of dependable supply. The agreement is non-binding and is subject to the execution of a definitive purchase agreement. This strategic step enhances Stardust Power’s financing options, reduces development risk, and demonstrates tangible progress toward full-scale operations at the Muskogee, Oklahoma site.
The Mandrake Utah Lithium Project is a large-scale lithium asset located in the northern Paradox Basin, part of the US 'lithium four corners' region. The project hosts an Inferred Resource of 3.3 million t of LCE and sits in a region historically known for lithium-rich, hypersaline brines as well as other strategic minerals such as boron, potassium, and magnesium. The site benefits from proximity to established mineral operations and infrastructure, with shallow and deep aquifers suitable for brine extraction, and access to re-enterable oil and gas wells for sampling and test work.
“We look forward to working with Stardust Power to deliver lithium chloride from our Utah project,” said James Allchurch, Managing Director, Mandrake Resources Limited. “This agreement highlights the strategic fit of our location, leveraging established infrastructure and transport links, and strengthens the domestic lithium supply chain by ensuring a reliable, long-term partnership in producing battery-grade materials.”
Stardust Power continues to advance permitting and site preparation activities, positioning the company to deliver battery-grade lithium carbonate efficiently and at scale, in support of the growing North American electric vehicle and energy storage markets.