Two exploration samples from a drilling programme at Andrada Mining’s Lithium Ridge Project in Namibia produced high-grade lithium spodumene concentrate.
Andrada says the samples produced high-grade spodumene concentrate at 6.8% Li20 (75% spodumene).
Lithium Ridge, under mining licence 133, is about 35 km southeast of the Uis town and Andrada’s operating Uis Mine in the Erongo region.
The company completed an initial exploration drilling programme on Lithium Ridge in Q3 2023.
A second phase of drilling, including mineralogical characterisation, is planned for Q1 2024 to increase geological confidence, prove the continuity of mineralisation along the strike, and establish a maiden mineral resource estimate.
Andrada CEO Anthony Viljoen says the results confirm recoverable spodumene within the pegmatites of the Lithium Ridge licence area.
According to Viljoen, the test work produced battery-grade spodumene concentrate at attractive lithium recoveries.
Viljoen also says several notable drilling intersections of up to 2.13% Li₂O were reported, and the drilling demonstrated lithium mineralisation along a 6km strike.
He says the lithium mineralisation in the pegmatites of Lithium Ridge varies from spodumene-dominant to petalite-dominant.
“However, the southwest of the licence area displays a high grade of petalite with minor spodumene mineralisation,” Viljoen says, adding the southwest area is the ore source for producing ceramic-grade petalite concentrate for Andrada’s lithium pilot plant.
Viljoen says that based on these results, they will proceed with the next phase of exploration drilling, metallurgical test work and mineralogical characterisation.
