What is the core structure of Compass Minerals' new lithium partnership with EnergyX, and how does it differ from Compass's previous lithium initiative?

Compass Minerals has signed a memorandum of understanding with EnergyX to restart lithium extraction at Utah's Great Salt Lake using EnergyX's direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology; EnergyX will invest over $400 million, assume all operational, financial, and regulatory risk, lease equipment from Compass, access existing brine infrastructure, and pay Compass a license fee—unlike Compass's prior 2022 partnership with EnergySource Minerals (funded partly by Koch Industries and backed by Ford), which was suspended indefinitely in late 2023 after Utah tightened water access laws and led Compass to take a $75 million impairment charge and fully shutter lithium operations in 2024.

How does EnergyX claim its DLE process addresses environmental concerns about the Great Salt Lake, and what role does Compass play in the new arrangement?

EnergyX CEO Teague Egan stated: 'EnergyX is not touching the lake. We extract the lithium and then we put the rest of the brine back,' asserting its DLE process will not affect the lake's water levels; Compass provides access to brine it already extracts for fertilizer production, leases equipment, and receives a license fee—while Compass CEO Edward Dowling Jr. emphasized the partnership would 'support lake conservation efforts and enable Compass Minerals to further strengthen our balance sheet as we continue to prioritize our core salt and plant nutrition businesses.'

Compass Plans Lithium Market Return with EnergyX in Utah's Great Salt Lake

May 18, 2026

Compass Minerals partners with EnergyX to resume lithium extraction from Utah's Great Salt Lake via DLE technology, backed by a $400 million investment. The project targets commercial production by 2030 amid rising battery metal demand.

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Compass Plans Lithium Market Return with EnergyX in Utah's Great Salt Lake

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