{
  "research_date": "2026-10-30",
  "purpose": "Primary-source foundations and limits for the steel/lithium strategic integration memo; proposed implications are distinguished from source facts.",
  "sources": [
    {
      "id": "S01",
      "title": "A-State Secures $2.1 Million Federal Award for AI-Driven Steel Research",
      "url": "https://www.astate.edu/about/news/a-state-secures-21-million-federal-award-for-ai-driven-steel-research.html",
      "published_date": "2026-10-14",
      "evidence": "A-State reports receipt of a $2.1 million NIST award for CAMSM research infrastructure, including a GPU computing cluster, Gleeble 3800 thermomechanical simulator and Thermo-Calc libraries.",
      "status": "Award announced by university; infrastructure to be provided",
      "caveat": "The announcement does not establish installation, commissioning, external access, operating budget or signed industrial research commitments."
    },
    {
      "id": "S02",
      "title": "U of A Engineering Researchers Push Steel to Breaking Point in Earthquake Simulation",
      "url": "https://news.uark.edu/articles/80288/u-of-a-engineering-researchers-push-steel-to-breaking-point-in-earthquake-simulation",
      "published_date": "2025-10-29",
      "evidence": "University describes a full-scale structural steel connection test for AISC at CEREC and identifies metallography/materials laboratories.",
      "status": "Reported completed demonstration and existing facility",
      "caveat": "Structural testing is a specific application, not proof of qualification capacity for every steel product or customer standard. Internal event day/date descriptions are inconsistent; cite the publication date, not a reconstructed exact test date."
    },
    {
      "id": "S03",
      "title": "Membrane Applications Science and Technology (MAST) Center",
      "url": "https://iucrc.nsf.gov/centers/membrane-engineering-science-and-technology-center/",
      "published_date": null,
      "evidence": "NSF lists the University of Arkansas among participating universities and describes industrial membrane science, chemical separations, produced-water treatment and food/agricultural processing applications.",
      "status": "Federal center directory, observed 2026-10-30",
      "caveat": "Undated directory; source itself does not certify lithium-brine performance, current instrument access, staffing availability or continuation funding. Name expansion varies across linked pages; retain acronym MAST if precision is needed."
    },
    {
      "id": "S04",
      "title": "Lithium Expertise and Partnership Opportunities",
      "url": "https://lithium.uark.edu/",
      "published_date": null,
      "evidence": "University lists geoscience, spatial analysis, electrodeionization, functional membranes, materials and supply-chain capabilities relevant to lithium partnerships.",
      "status": "University capability/partnership directory, observed 2026-10-30",
      "caveat": "Self-described expertise is a lead for capability validation, not an available delivery roster, a demonstration result or a contract."
    },
    {
      "id": "S05",
      "title": "DOE/EA-2304: Final Environmental Assessment (May 2026)",
      "url": "https://www.energy.gov/nepa/articles/doeea-2304-final-environmental-assessment-may-2026",
      "published_date": "2026-05-13",
      "evidence": "DOE describes proposed SWA brine extraction, lithium recovery, conversion to saleable battery-quality lithium carbonate, and reinjection in Lafayette County.",
      "status": "Final environmental assessment of proposed project",
      "caveat": "An environmental assessment and proposed design are not evidence that the plant is commissioned, production achieved, customer qualification complete or all permits/funding resolved. Some midstream conversion is already in project plans."
    },
    {
      "id": "S06",
      "title": "The Venture Center, Standard Lithium and University of Arkansas Open Applications for 2026 Arkansas Lithium Technology Accelerator",
      "url": "https://www.venturecenter.co/blog/the-venture-center-standard-lithium-and-university-of-arkansas-open-applications-for-2026-arkansas-lithium-technology-accelerator/",
      "published_date": "2026-02-17",
      "evidence": "Program operator describes its partnership with Standard Lithium and U of A, 2025 cohorts, and coverage of processing, materials, recycling, manufacturing and enabling technologies.",
      "status": "Existing program and announced 2026 application cycle",
      "caveat": "Program participation is not evidence of an Arkansas factory, commercial sale, local employment or accepted participation in this plan."
    },
    {
      "id": "S07",
      "title": "Southern Arkansas University hosts ribbon cutting for LiTHIUMLEARNS initiative",
      "url": "https://www.saumag.edu/news/2025/southern-arkansas-university-hosts-ribbon-cutting-for-lithiumlearns-initiative/",
      "published_date": null,
      "evidence": "University reports its September 9, 2025 opening event and describes links to SAU engineering, schools, South Arkansas College and industry partners.",
      "status": "Opening event documented for 2025-09-09; page publication date not verified",
      "caveat": "Opening and partnerships do not establish completed occupational qualifications, placement outcomes, available research capacity or a research institute."
    },
    {
      "id": "S08",
      "title": "MUSiC: Capabilities",
      "url": "https://music.uapower.group/capabilities/",
      "published_date": null,
      "evidence": "Facility lists current silicon-carbide fabrication capabilities separately from capabilities to be installed through 2026 and those under review.",
      "status": "Facility directory observed 2026-10-30, with explicit current/planned distinctions",
      "caveat": "Planned equipment must not be treated as commissioned. Semiconductor device capability does not establish utility-grid, steel-plant or lithium-process integration capability."
    },
    {
      "id": "S09",
      "title": "Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2025: Beyond NMC batteries: Supply chain issues for emerging battery technologies",
      "url": "https://www.iea.org/reports/global-critical-minerals-outlook-2025/beyond-nmc-batteries-supply-chain-issues-for-emerging-battery-technologies",
      "published_date": "2025",
      "evidence": "IEA documents battery-chemistry shifts, concentrated LFP production and incumbent advantages in integrated inputs, equipment and intellectual property.",
      "status": "Published intergovernmental analytical report",
      "caveat": "Global conditions provide competitive context; they do not prove that a particular Arkansas downstream project is viable or unviable. Source register records the verified report year rather than an unverified release day."
    },
    {
      "id": "S10",
      "title": "Arkansas Critical Minerals",
      "url": "https://geology.arkansas.gov/minerals/critical-minerals.html",
      "published_date": null,
      "evidence": "State geology page describes mineral occurrences, historic investigations and the southern Arkansas lithium-brine resource area, including multiple counties.",
      "status": "State geological inventory observed 2026-10-30",
      "caveat": "Occurrences and exploration interest do not establish recoverable reserves or commercial mines. Some federal critical-mineral-list context is historical; do not treat this page as the current definitive federal list."
    },
    {
      "id": "S11",
      "title": "Critical Materials Separation Lab",
      "url": "https://cmsep.uark.edu/",
      "published_date": null,
      "evidence": "University laboratory describes experimental, spectroscopic and molecular-modeling research on rare-earth solvent extraction and ionic liquids.",
      "status": "University lab directory observed in search results 2026-10-30; direct open returned 502",
      "caveat": "Useful research adjacency only. Does not establish local rare-earth resources, lithium-specific demonstrated performance or pilot-scale services. Prefer accessible S03/S04 for principal plan claims."
    },
    {
      "id": "S12",
      "title": "Building Secure Supply Chains for America's Energy Future: Critical Minerals & Materials Program",
      "url": "https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2025-01/critical-minerals-materials-program-january2025.pdf",
      "published_date": "2025-01",
      "evidence": "DOE presentation identifies upstream-to-midstream supply concentration and distinguishes extraction, material processing, cell manufacturing and downstream uses.",
      "status": "Published federal program presentation",
      "caveat": "Use for supply-chain structure and the importance of midstream capability, not as proof of current grant availability or an Arkansas funding commitment."
    }
  ]
}