With a 4.7-million-tonne Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) Resource at Río Grande and a positive Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA), the company is placing increasing emphasis on integrating hydrogeology, process engineering and land management as the foundations of high-quality exploration. Its partnership with Hatch to advance process development, together with its agreement with Summit Explore to accelerate Arizaro, reflects a strategy focused on combining technological flexibility, operational efficiency and sustainable growth across its lithium brine assets in Salta.
By Panorama Minero
NOA Lithium has identified Río Grande as its flagship project, while also accelerating work at Arizaro and Salinas Grandes. How are the lessons learned at one salar being incorporated into exploration programs at the others, and what synergies are emerging across the portfolio?
Each salar represents a distinct hydrogeological system and therefore requires its own conceptual model. However, the experience we gained at Río Grande has allowed us to establish a working methodology that can now be applied—with the necessary adjustments—to both Arizaro and Salinas Grandes.
At Río Grande, we have progressed through the full exploration sequence: geophysical interpretation, target selection and prioritization, deep drilling, aquifer characterization, brine sampling, hydraulic testing, and the progressive development of both hydrogeological and resource models. This experience has enabled us to improve the design of our exploration programs, optimize the sequencing between geophysics and drilling, and, most importantly, identify the information that must be collected from the earliest stages to minimize uncertainty later in the project lifecycle.
One of the most important lessons has been that confirming lithium grades alone is no longer sufficient. From the outset, it is essential to understand aquifer geometry, hydraulic properties, continuity between hydrogeological units, brine quality and industrial water availability. We also need to obtain representative brine samples early enough to evaluate different processing alternatives.
Our objective is to apply this integrated exploration approach across all of our projects. Geophysics allows us to prioritize conductive targets and reduce exploration risk before drilling begins, while the operational experience acquired at Río Grande improves logistical planning, environmental management and permitting.
This is not about transferring the geological model of one salar to another. Rather, it is about applying a more structured, efficient exploration methodology that is aligned with future project development from the very beginning.
We also benefit from tangible synergies resulting from the proximity of our projects, all of which are located in Salta. These include regional knowledge, supplier networks, technical teams, logistics, infrastructure and institutional relationships. This allows us to manage the portfolio as an integrated business while advancing each project according to its own level of maturity and technical characteristics.
Vanesa Fernández, Exploration Director at NOA Lithium.
The appointment of Hatch to support Río Grande's Prefeasibility work, together with the agreement with Summit Explore for Arizaro, represents a significant milestone for the company. What do these developments mean within NOA Lithium's broader growth strategy?
These milestones represent NOA Lithium's transition from being primarily an exploration company to becoming a project development company.
Río Grande now hosts a Resource of approximately 4.7 million tonnes of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent, with an average lithium concentration of 525 mg/L and a positive PEA. Our current focus is on transforming that Resource into an increasingly robust engineering foundation while progressively reducing technical, environmental and economic uncertainty.
Hatch completed the project's PEA and is now leading a process development study ahead of the Prefeasibility Study (PFS). The objective is to compare the conventional evaporation flowsheet with alternative process configurations incorporating Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) test work and conceptual process designs.
Maintaining technological flexibility is extremely important to us. We want to select the process that best matches our brine chemistry, the specific characteristics of the salar and the planned scale of the project.
Hatch's decision to accept NOA Lithium shares as partial compensation for this work also creates strong alignment between both parties and demonstrates confidence in both the project's potential and its long-term development pathway.
The non-binding agreement with Summit Explore serves a complementary strategic purpose. It allows us to accelerate Arizaro without diverting either the technical focus or the financial resources currently required by Río Grande.
If the definitive agreement is executed, Summit will have the opportunity to earn a 60% interest by funding and executing an exploration program, completing a PEA and subsequently a PFS, together with staged investments of up to approximately US$3.5 million. NOA Lithium would retain the remaining 40% interest.
In addition, representative Arizaro brine samples will be evaluated at Summit's facility in Santiago, Chile, to determine their compatibility with the company's denaLi™ Direct Lithium Extraction technology. This opens the possibility of integrating Arizaro into a shared processing infrastructure model, designed to improve the economics of individual assets while generating economies of scale.
What are the key milestones you expect to achieve over the coming months, and which indicators should investors and the industry monitor to assess the company's progress?
At Río Grande, our primary focus over the coming months will be completing the 2026 drilling campaign. As of July 16, both drill rigs were operating according to plan. Hole RT-RG26-PW001 had reached a depth of 254 metres, while RT-RG26-PW002 had completed its exploratory drilling to a final depth of 504 metres. In the latter, Borehole Magnetic Resonance (BMR) logging and other downhole measurements were also completed, providing the data required to define the design of the future production well.
The next major milestones will include the completion of both wells, hydraulic and pumping tests, the characterization of the deeper aquifers, and the integration of these results into both the hydrogeological and Mineral Resource models. These data will be essential for evaluating sustainable pumping rates, reservoir behaviour and the design parameters for the future wellfield.
Another important milestone will be the completion of the process development study led by Hatch, with results expected during the third quarter of 2026. This work will compare conventional evaporation with Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) alternatives and establish a stronger technical foundation for the upcoming Prefeasibility Study (PFS). The company's publicly stated objective remains to complete the PFS for Río Grande before the end of 2026.
At Arizaro, the first major corporate milestone will be converting the existing term sheet with Summit Explore into a definitive agreement. Once that occurs, the key indicators will include the launch of the technical program, the selection of representative brine samples, compatibility testing with DLE technology, and progress toward completing a NI 43-101-compliant Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA).
Rather than focusing exclusively on drilling metres completed, I believe investors and the industry should monitor indicators that demonstrate meaningful risk reduction: the quality and representativeness of drilling results, hydraulic parameters, Resource updates and conversion, process definition, industrial water availability, permitting progress, adherence to project schedules, and the company's ability to finance each stage with discipline.
What do you see as the greatest challenges for delivering high-quality exploration in Salta over the coming years?
The principal challenge is to approach salars as complex hydrogeological systems, rather than simply as deposits containing a certain lithium concentration.
High-quality exploration—as well as a robust Prefeasibility Study—requires the integration of geology, geophysics, hydrogeology, geochemistry, process engineering and environmental studies from the earliest stages of project development. It also depends on high-quality data, full traceability, rigorous QA/QC protocols, and continuously updated technical models as new information becomes available.
Another critical challenge is the responsible management of water resources. We must understand the hydrological balance of each basin, differentiate between the various aquifer systems, and design production and monitoring programs that enable technically sound decision-making.
These challenges are compounded by the operating conditions of the Puna, including high elevation, long transport distances, logistics, energy availability, infrastructure constraints, and the need to secure specialized suppliers and skilled personnel.
Equally important will be the predictability of permitting processes, continued access to financing in what remains a cyclical market, and the sustained development of trusted relationships with local communities and government authorities.
Today, exploration excellence is no longer measured solely by the discovery of a Resource. It is equally defined by a company's ability to demonstrate that the project can be developed in a technically robust, environmentally responsible and socially sustainable manner.
What competitive advantages does NOA Lithium have today?
NOA Lithium benefits from several important competitive advantages. The company controls a portfolio of more than 140,000 hectares across three highly prospective salars in Salta, creating both operational scale and meaningful synergies.
Río Grande combines a large Mineral Resource, high average lithium grades, a consolidated land position, a positive PEA, and a staged development strategy that preserves the flexibility to evaluate multiple processing technologies.
In addition, we have a team with direct experience in lithium brine exploration and project development, a strong local presence, in-depth knowledge of the region, and a proven ability to advance projects within demanding timelines.
Our capabilities are further strengthened through partnerships with internationally recognized firms such as Hatch and Montgomery & Associates, together with the addition of technology and financial partners such as Summit Explore, providing both independent technical validation and complementary expertise.
I believe our greatest competitive advantage lies precisely in this combination: high-quality assets, deep local knowledge, technical discipline, and the flexibility to adapt project development strategies to the specific conditions of each salar.
Panoramic View of the Arizaro Project.
