The Chilean state company reported that data certified by an accredited laboratory indicate that in the 252 meters of depth of a drilling in the La Isla salt flat, average concentrations of total lithium of 921 mg/l and a maximum of 979 mg/l have been found.
The National Mining Company (Enami) announced on Wednesday the preliminary results of lithium concentrations in the Salar La Isla, confirming the potential of the Salares Altoandinos project that the Chilean state-owned company has underway in the mountain range of the Atacama Region.
The company reported that data certified by an accredited laboratory indicate that in the 252 meters of depth of a well in the La Isla salt flat, average concentrations of total lithium of 921 mg/l and a maximum of 979 mg/l have been found.
“With these results, we continue to move forward with what is shaping up to be the third largest lithium project in Chile, in terms of resources and reserve potential,” said Enami’s executive vice president, Iván Mlynarz, about a project that is only surpassed by the Salar de Atacama (where local SQM and US Albemarle operate) and Maricunga, owned by state-owned copper company Codelco.
According to the state-owned company's VPE, the confirmed data allows the company to "move forward more strongly in realizing this project and achieve the goal of having new lithium production in Chile in the coming years."
The Salar La Isla, together with Aguilar and Grande, make up the Salares Altoandinos project that Enami is developing as part of the National Lithium Strategy. The data known today about La Isla add to the positive results released last April regarding the Salar Aguilar, which showed an average total lithium concentration of 740 mg/l for that deposit, with a maximum of 984 mg/l.
Exploration of the salt flats has resumed its activities after a pause due to the harsh winter conditions, continuing with drilling, deep and surface sampling, and general hydrogeological data collection of the basins under study. In parallel, the indigenous consultation, associated with the granting of the Special Operation Contract (CEOL) requested from the Ministry of Mining, continues in full development with communities in the area.
At the same time, Enami has made progress with the shipment of brine to laboratories of eight companies in Australia, Canada, China, the United States, France and England for analysis of direct lithium extraction technologies. This is part of the mandate of the National Lithium Strategy to seek the best alternatives, with the least possible environmental impact, and which could be used in future exploitation of these salt flats.
Likewise, after a process of expressions of interest, the state-owned company defined a list of six world-class companies, which will be part of the negotiation process to form the public-private alliance in the Salares Altoandinos lithium project. The list is made up of BYD Chile SpA (China); CNGR Advanced Material Co. Ltd (China); LG Energy Solution, LTD. (South Korea); Eramet Chile SA (France); POSCO Holdings Inc. (South Korea); and RIO TINTO Mining and Exploration Limited – Agency in Chile (England – Australia). The selection of the partner and/or financier of the project will be announced in March 2025.
