ION Minerals has positioned itself as a major force in North American lithium development after strategically expanding its brine-based mineral holdings across three key regions in the United States and Canada.
"With this portfolio expansion, we have materially strengthened our position as a scaled, diversified, lithium developer, and advanced our mission to responsibly unlock lithium resources that will help fuel the North American battery supply chain," Justin Love, CEO of ION Minerals, said. "The newly acquired Saskatchewan – Duperow position complements our existing strategic landholdings in the Texas Panhandle and Texas Smackover, placing ION among a select group of developers across the continent with meaningful scale and asset diversification."
ION Minerals operates as a privately held exploration and production company dedicated to acquiring, evaluating, and developing brine-borne mineral resources in North America, with a primary focus on lithium. The company leverages advanced geological criteria, proprietary data, and traditional exploration and production expertise to advance resources from brine toward commercial development in support of a North American battery supply chain.
The private company now controls just over 280,000 mineral acres through disciplined acquisitions, targeted leasing, and focused geological evaluation. This expansion establishes ION as a premier developer of lithium resources that will supply the growing North American battery manufacturing sector.
The company has built its portfolio around three distinct project areas, each offering significant commercial potential in established or emerging lithium development corridors.
East Texas operations target proven resources
ION controls nearly 50,000 mineral acres in East Texas within the productive Smackover Formation. The company strategically positioned these holdings between Tetra Technologies' Evergreen Brine Unit and Standard Lithium's Reynolds Brine Unit in Southwest Arkansas, plus Standard Lithium's Franklin Project in East Texas. These adjacent projects report resource densities ranging from 47–60 tonnes of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent per acre.
The location places ION within one of North America's most actively advancing brine development corridors. The region benefits from strong resource validation, established brine production history, and increasing commercial momentum in neighboring projects.
Texas Panhandle holdings show major scale potential
ION also controls nearly 65,000 mineral acres in the prospective Texas Panhandle region, targeting the Brown and White Dolomite Formations. The company's internal analysis of public and proprietary data estimates as much as 2.4 million tonnes of LCE in place across these holdings.
The position sits within a nearly 202, 342 Ha (500,000-acre) area of interest and provides a pathway to large-scale commercial development potential.
Saskatchewan acquisition opens new frontier
ION recently acquired just over 165,000 mineral acres in Southeast Saskatchewan, establishing a significant position in the rapidly emerging lithium brine play targeting the Duperow Formation.
Based on preliminary geological data and independent analog assessments, the Saskatchewan acreage contains an estimated 2.5 million tonnes of LCE potential. The project targets multiple productive benches within the Duperow Formation, with drilling and testing scheduled to begin in Summer 2026.
Strategic timing aligns with policy support
Lithium remains foundational to electric vehicle batteries, grid storage systems, and broader electrification initiatives. U.S. and Canadian policymakers continue to emphasize domestic critical mineral development as a matter of economic and energy security.
ION's 113, 311 ha (280,000-acre) land position across Saskatchewan and Texas provides exposure to large-scale brine systems in jurisdictions aligned with long-term domestic supply chain development goals.
More information is posted at www.IonMinerals.com
March 26, 2026
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