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. It is approximately 38km from the Company’s Pocitos Project.
The project has had no significant historic exploration, and as such it presents a new opportunity to identify lithium at a salar that is known to host lithium-bearing brines with production potential.
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.
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. [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 Villanovena II claim 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 remains open to the north.
Additional detailed work to detect and delineate brine concentrations is on-going. For details of the latest work program and results please refer to the News Releases and Presentations.