Power Minerals identifies more lithium brine potential at Incahuasi salar in Argentina
Power Minerals plans to begin resource drilling at Incahuasi in the “immediate future”.
A geophysical survey at Power Minerals’ (ASX: PNN) Salta project in Argentina has identified further lithium brine potential at the Incahuasi salar.
Power says the recently completed a vertical electrical sounding (VES) geophysical survey at the salar had confirmed the potential for additional lithium brines beneath alluvial fan aprons.
The survey also provided key data for water managing plans and ESG initiatives.
Power executive director Mena Habib said VES surveys were important for effective lithium brine exploration.
“The survey results help increase our understanding of both lithium brine distribution and the near-surface freshwater environment, which are critical to successful project development and positive community relationships in the arid Puna region of Argentina,” Mr Habib.
Following the success at Incahuasi, Power has VES surveys underway at the Rincon and Pocitos salares at the project.
Advancing Incahuasi
Information from the survey at Incahuasi will feed into a resource definition program at the salar.
Drilling is scheduled to begin in the “immediate future” and will comprise two diamond holes for a total 1,000m.
The program is designed to generate a maiden resource for Incahuasi, which will become part of the global estimate for the wider Salta project.
Salta project
Once the program has finished at Incahuasi, Power will transport the rig to Pocitos and Rincon for resource drilling.
The wider Salta project comprises five salares within seven mining leases that span 147.07 square kilometres in northwest Argentina.
Incahuasi is adjacent to Ganfeng Lithium’s project, while Power’s Rincon salar is next to the Rincon asset that Rio Tinto’s (ASX: RIO) acquired for US$825 million earlier this year.
Salta has global resources of 239,000 tonnes of contained lithium carbonate equivalent grading 313 milligrams per litre of lithium.
As part of its strategy to advance Salta, Power is assessing commercial and development pathways. This includes using direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies. This is being evaluated under a memorandum of understanding with Sunresin New Materials, which has developed its own propriety DLE process.
Salta is within the renowned ‘Lithium Triangle’, which is home to 65% of the world’s lithium.