Andrada Mining has extended its Lithium Ridge drilling programme in Namibia by 18% to 16,500 metres after reporting high-grade lithium intercepts, including 21.33 metres at 1.24% Li₂O and 16.24 metres at 1.04% Li₂O from less than one metre depth, confirming scale and continuity across the project.
The company said the second batch of diamond drilling results demonstrates consistent lithium mineralisation from surface to depth, alongside associated tin and tantalum, reinforcing the project’s polymetallic potential.
Key results include 21.33 metres at 1.24% Li₂O from 146.18 metres in drill hole LRD031, including a higher-grade zone of 7.20 metres at 1.99% Li₂O.
Near-surface mineralisation was confirmed in hole LRD025, which returned 16.24 metres at 1.04% Li₂O from just 0.87 metres.
Additional intercepts include 10.87 metres at 1.38% Li₂O in LRD022 and 5.88 metres at 1.50% Li₂O in LRD017, with multiple higher-grade zones within broader pegmatite intervals.
Andrada said the results are the latest from seven additional diamond drill holes and show strong continuity across the lithium-bearing pegmatite system, with spodumene identified as the primary lithium mineral.
Tin and tantalum mineralisation was also confirmed in all reported holes, indicating potential by-product value.
Chief executive Anthony Viljoen said the results are strengthening confidence in the project’s scale.
“These results continue to strengthen our understanding of Lithium Ridge’s pegmatite system, demonstrating consistent mineralisation across multiple drill holes.
The combination of scale and grade emerging at this stage is particularly compelling,” Viljoen said.
He said the expanded drilling programme is aimed at accelerating development and better defining the extent of mineralisation.
The programme is being conducted under an earn-in agreement with Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile through its subsidiary SQM Australia, as Andrada advances Lithium Ridge as part of its broader critical minerals portfolio in Namibia.
The company said 11 additional holes are pending assay results, with results expected to clarify the size and continuity of the system.
