{"id":31077,"date":"2023-06-13T13:50:09","date_gmt":"2023-06-13T12:50:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=31077"},"modified":"2023-06-13T14:11:11","modified_gmt":"2023-06-13T13:11:11","slug":"major-advancements-lithium-production-made-argentina","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/major-advancements-lithium-production-made-argentina\/31077\/","title":{"rendered":"Major advancements in lithium production made in Argentina"},"content":{"rendered":"
For the expansion of global lithium production, two of the most important areas to watch are the Rincon and Antofalla salars in the Lithium Triangle in Argentina<\/a>. Here, Rio Tinto is targeting production starting in 2024 and Albemarle continues to expand one of the largest lithium resources in Argentina.<\/p>\n The other companies also count. At the Rincon salar, Argosy Minerals is anticipated to become one of the next companies to start delivery of lithium carbonate to the electric vehicle (EV) market by June 2023.<\/p>\n Argentina Lithium & Energy holds large exploration positions at both salars and is operated by a qualified discovery-focused management and geological team. At the Rincon salar, the company is drilling to expand on its discovery at Rincon West<\/a>. At the Antofalla salar, the company is anticipated to be permitted for geophysics and initial drilling in June and July this year.<\/p>\n With the demand for lithium continuing to climb globally, these three companies \u2013 Rio Tinto, Argosy Minerals, and Argentina Lithium & Energy \u2013 are finding success at the Rincon Salar in the Andes of northwest Argentina in the Lithium Triangle.<\/p>\n At the Antofalla salar, 120km south of Rincon, Albemarle and Argentina Lithium continue to make advances.<\/p>\n Argosy Minerals<\/a>, an Australian developer (AGY.ASE), announced on 1 March this year that it has produced five tonnes of battery-grade lithium carbonate from small-batch operations on site at the Rincon salar. The company is targeting steady-state operations and to be producing battery-grade lithium carbonate at the rate of 2,000 tonnes\/year by the end of June this year.<\/p>\n The company also reported that commissioning-phase works are nearing completion with production throughput and scaling trials in progress. Preliminary ramp-up works for continuous lithium carbonate production operations are progressing.<\/p>\n By achieving production and sales of lithium carbonate at the rate of 2,000 tonnes\/year, Argosy is targeting earning the capital to increase production to 12,000 tonnes\/year.<\/p>\n Rio Tinto PLC<\/a> (RIO.L, RIO.NYSE), the world\u2019s second-largest mining company by market capitalisation, acquired most of the Rincon salar in March 2021 from Rincon Mining for $825m. The company has been very active at the salar since acquisition.<\/p>\n According to miningweekly.com, Rio Tinto has constructed and is operating a pilot plant on site. It is aggressively drilling to expand the resource and has started construction of a 3,000-tonne\/year starter plant to produce lithium carbonate commencing in 2024. Its plan is to have the starter plant serve as a pilot for a much larger, 50,000-tonne\/year plant there.<\/p>\n Rio has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ford Motor Company for delivery of lithium carbonate from the Rincon salar.<\/p>\n Argentina Lithium<\/a> (LIT.V, PNXLF.OTC) controls 3,742 hectares at the Rincon salar, or the equivalent of 6 x 6km, lying adjacent on the west side of Rio Tinto, including an additional parcel of approximately 850 hectares that is adjacent to the north of Rio, and which is also believed to be prospective.<\/p>\n Early in 2022, the company applied geophysical imaging at Rincon West, and confirmed the potential for lithium brines under two-thirds of the initial property area. A diamond drill was mobilised to site in May 2022, and has been operating continuously, currently completing the eighth hole of an initial nine-hole exploration programme.<\/p>\n All drilling at Rincon West has sampled enriched lithium brines. Drilling is focused in the central basin area where excellent brine grades, similar to those reported for the Rio Tinto resource (Montgomery & Associates, July 26, 2021, the last resource estimate before Rio\u2019s acquisition), have been returned over broad intervals.<\/p>\n Please note that proximity to other mining projects does not provide any assurance with respect to making similar discoveries.<\/p>\n The company is beginning work on an initial resource calculation for this first area based on these positive results. Additionally, environmental permitting is underway for two more recently acquired parcels at Rincon West, including the area to the north of Rio Tinto, where geophysics and drilling will be employed to potentially expand the resource over the next year.<\/p>\n Argentina Lithium\u2019s discovery at Rincon West is exciting, and the strategy of drilling out prospects adjacent to major resources appears to be paying off.<\/p>\nRincon Salar: First production of lithium carbonate expected in 2023<\/h3>\n
Rio Tinto has big plans at the Rincon salar<\/h3>\n
Argentina Lithium\u2019s discovery at Rincon West<\/h3>\n
Antofalla Salar<\/h3>\n