Galan Lithium (ASX: GLN) reports that test work on lithium brine concentrate from its Hombre Muerto West (HMW) project in Argentina is 85% complete — and that the intermediate results indicate the brine evaporation modelling “highly” correlates to the laboratory results.
The work is being performed by lithium experts in Antofagasta, Chile.
“The brine concentrate model prediction shows a sound correlation between actual laboratory results and the predictive brine evaporation mode,” the company noted.
Galan managing director Juan Pablo Vargas de la Vega said the lab testing team had done a “fantastic” job at a time when there are serious COVID-19 challenges in South America.
Universities in Antofagasta had been closed and some other local laboratories have not been taking further samples due to heavy COVID-19 restrictions
‘Unique setting’ — high grade, low impurities
Mr Vargas de la Vega said Galan remained fully funded for 2021 for all studies required at HMW.
“Galan has a unique setting of high grade and low impurities … that gives us significant more flexibility to test many ideas,” he added.
Last year Galan sent a 20 cubic metre sample of brine to Chile with the objective of continuing its testing and to provide enough samples to look beyond the scoping study plan.
Late last year Galan reported a “huge” increase in its HMW lithium brine project resource to more than two million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE).
The company’s entire resource in the Hombre Muerto Basin then came to 3Mt LCE. meaning that in size it overtook the Sal de Vida project in the same salt flat basin owned by South Korean conglomerate POSCO.
This makes it the third largest publicly disclosed lithium resource in the basin, part of the so-called “lithium triangle” that embraces northern Argentina, and parts of Bolivia and Chile.
Testing to lower carbon footprint
Galan is also testing the optimisation of its low energy and low carbon footprint solutions.
The involves testing different reagents in the evaporation process to produce high grade lithium chloride concentrate.
Meanwhile, further work is under way at HMW.
New sites for the camp and pilot areas have been located.
The new camp will provide better support for the crew as well as reducing travel time from the present camp, 40km away.
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