Andrada Mining has returned lithium oxide grades of up to 14.72% Li₂O at its Lithium Ridge project in Namibia, with the latest exploration results extending the known mineralised trend by 50% from six kilometres to nine kilometres while identifying multiple new mineralised pegmatites beyond the main corridor.
The results, announced on Tuesday, are from the final batch of grab samples collected under Stage 1 of the company’s earn-in agreement with Chilean lithium producer SQM through its subsidiary SQM Australia.
Besides extending the principal mineralised trend by an additional three kilometres, the latest assays confirmed high-grade lithium mineralisation across several newly identified pegmatites, along with significant tin and tantalum mineralisation, indicating a broader mineralised system than previously recognised.
Among the strongest results, one grab sample returned 14.72% Li₂O, while another from the same pegmatite assayed 13.77% Li₂O. Several additional samples recorded grades above 4% Li₂O, including 4.99%, 4.94%, 4.31%, 4.20% and 4.10% Li₂O.
The programme also delivered high-grade tin and tantalum results, with assays returning up to 7.38% tin (Sn) and 3,192 parts per million (ppm) tantalum (Ta).
Overall, 60 of the newly analysed samples returned lithium oxide grades above 1% Li₂O, including 48 samples grading more than 2% Li₂O.
The programme also identified 160 samples containing more than 0.1% tin and 163 samples with tantalum grades exceeding 75 ppm.
Chief executive officer Anthony Viljoen said the programme represented another important milestone in the project’s evaluation.
“The completion of the licence-wide surface sampling programme marks another important milestone in our evaluation of Lithium Ridge. The results extend the identified mineralised trend by an additional three kilometres and confirm high-grade lithium mineralisation across multiple new pegmatites, together with significant associated tin and tantalum mineralisation.”
He said the latest surface results complemented the company’s drilling programme.
“These results complement the encouraging diamond drilling results reported to date, which have demonstrated lithium mineralisation from surface to borehole depth and have strengthened our understanding of the scale and continuity of the broader pegmatite system. The identification of additional mineralised pegmatites beyond the principal trend further highlights the exploration potential that remains across the licence area.”
The latest announcement completes analysis of all 1,230 grab samples collected from approximately 1,500 mapped pegmatites across the mining licence. The first batch of 496 sample results was released in January this year, with the remaining 734 samples reported in the latest update.
According to Andrada, the mapping and sampling programme was undertaken to identify additional mineralised pegmatites as part of the Stage 1 earn-in agreement with SQM.
While many samples were selected from pegmatites containing visible spodumene or other indicator minerals, the company also analysed pegmatites without obvious lithium minerals to build a comprehensive geochemical database across the licence area.
The results showed that high-grade lithium mineralisation is not confined to the main Lithium Ridge trend, with numerous mineralised pegmatites identified elsewhere on the licence.
The company also noted that many of the highest tin and tantalum values were recorded in the same pegmatites hosting significant lithium mineralisation, highlighting the project’s polymetallic potential.
Andrada completed an approximately 16,500-metre orientated diamond-drilling programme in May 2026, targeting most of the mineralised pegmatites identified through the mapping and grab-sampling campaigns.
Drill core samples continue to be dispatched for laboratory analysis, with additional assay results expected as they become available.
The company said the surface sampling results, together with the drilling data, will be integrated into a geological model of the Lithium Ridge mineral system to guide future exploration and support the project’s ongoing evaluation.
