Name of the Project
Rincon lithium project.

Location
Salta province, Argentina.

Project Owner/s
Argosy Minerals currently has a 77.5% interest in the entity that owns Rincon project – Puna Mining – with the right to increase this to 90% ownership in consideration for funding the 10 000 t/y development.

The mining titles are 100% owned by Puna Mining and/or Argosy has legal, secure, binding and exclusive option rights to complete 100% acquisition of the properties.

Project Description
The Rincon lithium project is being developed in stages.

The current 12 000 t/y development follows a two-stage product pathway. Stage 1a focuses on producing solid/crystallised lithium chloride at the Rincon site. Stage 1b will convert the product into battery-quality lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not disclosed.

Capital Expenditure
Not disclosed.

Planned Start/End Date
Not stated.

Latest Developments
Argosy Minerals is progressing feasibility and engineering work towards completing a definitive feasibility study for the 12 000 t/y project. Testwork has been undertaken across each critical unit-process stage and is nearing completion, with no key issues or flaws identified or unresolved.

Solvent-extraction pilot testwork using Rincon concentrated brine has produced lithium chloride concentrate with 99% purity and a maximum lithium yield of 94.4%. Separate forced-evaporation testwork has confirmed that the brine could be concentrated by about four to six times to a target range of 4% to 5% lithium, with the potential for continuous operation, high energy efficiency, low maintenance requirements and limited scaling and fouling.

Crystallisation testwork is in progress while feasibility-level basic engineering work has started and is scheduled for completion by the end of September 2026. Design work is also progressing on the evaporation-pond system, borefield-to-pond brine-gathering system, concentrated-brine delivery system and pond operations plan.

Salta Electricity Distribution Company’s (EDESA’s) completed engineering work has confirmed the technical feasibility and commercial viability of supplying up to 40 MW to the project through a 33 kV line of about 8.6 km from the national grid. The power infrastructure programme is being aligned with the neighbouring Rio Tinto Rincon project, with the regulator requesting a consolidated assessment to expedite the process. 
Argosy is also developing a detailed brine-production wellfield design and has drilled a production well for industrial water supply.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Clean TeQ Water (engineering design, procurement and supply of a lithium concentrate softening plant); EDESA (detailed engineering and feasibility work for the 40 MW grid connection); and Lycopodium (owner’s electrical engineer for the energy infrastructure project).

Contact Details for Project Information
Argosy Minerals, tel +61 8 6188 8181, email admin@argosyminerals.com.au.