About the Project

Argentina Lithium controls over 5000 hectares of claims at the Rincon Salar in Salta Province, Argentina, with approximately half held under option.  The claims are in three main blocks: the West Block, Paso de Sico and Don Fermin.

Prior to Argentina Lithium’s involvement, the project area had no significant historic exploration, and as such it presented a new opportunity to identify lithium at a salar that is known to host lithium-bearing brines with production potential.  The Company has now intercepted significant lithium-bearing brines in drilling on the West Block and is advancing towards delineating its first resource estimate for the project.

Location & Infrastructure

Located at approximately 3,760 metres above sea level, the geological environment at the Rincon Salar is similar to other salars in the Puna region where lithium and potash are found. 

The Rincon West Project is situated close to the railway, and just 17 kilometres south of Provincial Route 51, the international road that connects to Chile’s coastal ports. It is approximately 150 kilometres from the town of San Antonio de los Cobres. The InterAndes power corridor runs within one kilometre of the salar. Rincon West is approximately 38km from the Company’s Pocitos Project.

There are two significant lithium resource development projects on the salar, owned by Rio Tinto (www.riotinto.com) and Argosy Minerals (www.argosyminerals.com.au) both of which have executed demonstration-scale production of lithium carbonate. Rio Tinto plan to expand its production to 60,000 tonnes of battery grade lithium carbonate per year by 2028.[Argentina Lithium cautions that proximity to a discovery, mineral resource, or mining operation does not indicate that mineralization will occur on the Company’s property, and if mineralization does occur, that it will occur in sufficient quantity or grade that would result in an economic extraction scenario.] The Rincon West project is adjacent to claims belonging to Rio Tinto on the east, west and north sides of the salar.

Exploration Program

Little historic work was completed on these claims, however Vertical Electrical Soundings (VES) identified a conductive unit which was thought to be related to brines at less than 100m depth under the majority of the properties held on the western side of the salar.

Argentina Lithium completed its first drill program on the West Block in 2023. Nine holes delineated lithium-bearing brines, culminating in the final hole which reported a 258 metre interval ranging from 287 to 402 mg/l lithium, with two portions not sampled, one length of 42 metres and a second length of 33 metres. Results demonstrated that the concentrated brines from the neighboring salt flat extend through the western basin, and the brine zone remained open to the north.  In 2024 the Company completed five additional exploration drill holes that continued to expand the brine zone, and drilled its first rotary well in preparation for pump testing on the West Block.  Drilling also commenced on the Paso de Sico properties. 

Drilling and other work is on-going as the Company advances the project towards its first resource estimate. For details of the latest work program and results please refer to the News Releases and Presentations.