Pursuit Minerals Drills Into New Zone Targeting Lithium Brine Beyond Existing Resource
Key Takeaways
- Diamond drilling has commenced at DDH-4 within the Demasía tenement, marking the first direct test of lithium brine potential in this area of the Rio Grande Sur salar system.
- Early packer testing at DDH-4 has already recovered formation brine from shallow depths of approximately 26 metres and 58 metres, with samples submitted for laboratory analysis to determine lithium concentration.
- DDH-3 at the Mito tenement delivered more than 20 positive packer tests and a standout lithium reading of 809mg/L Li from its deeper section — well above the existing resource average grade of 424mg/L Li.
- Pursuit's current JORC Mineral Resource stands at 1.264Mt LCE at 424mg/L Li, comprising 705kt Indicated at 443mg/L and 559kt Inferred at 405mg/L, with both DDH-3 and DDH-4 data to be incorporated into the resource model.
- Pre-Feasibility Study addendums evaluating expanded lithium carbonate and lithium chloride development pathways beyond the initial 5,000tpa operation are expected to be released shortly.
Drilling underway at Demasía as Pursuit pushes for resource expansion
Diamond drilling has commenced at DDH-4 within the Demasía tenement at Pursuit Minerals’ Rio Grande Sur Lithium Project in Salta Province, Argentina. The drill hole represents the first direct test of the lithium brine potential at Demasía, extending the company’s exploration program into a new area of the broader Rio Grande Sur salar system.
DDH-4 is planned to a depth of approximately 500 metres and is targeting potential extensions of lithium-bearing brines that could grow beyond Pursuit’s existing JORC Mineral Resource. That resource currently stands at 1.264Mt LCE at 424mg/L Li, comprising:
- 705kt Indicated at 443mg/L Li
- 559kt Inferred at 405mg/L Li
Encouragingly, initial packer testing at DDH-4 has already recovered formation brine from relatively shallow depths of approximately 26 metres and 58 metres. Representative samples from these intervals will be submitted for laboratory analysis to determine lithium concentration and broader brine chemistry.
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DDH-3 completion at Mito builds confidence ahead of Demasía test
DDH-4 follows the successful completion of DDH-3 at the Mito tenement, drilled to approximately 560 metres. More than 20 positive packer tests were completed across the brine-bearing sequence at DDH-3, with numerous representative brine samples submitted for laboratory analysis. A key result from the deeper section of DDH-3 was a lithium reading of 809mg/L Li, which management has cited as a significant confidence driver for the broader system.
Aaron Revelle, Managing Director & CEO
“The results from DDH-3 have strengthened our confidence in the grade potential of the broader Rio Grande Sur system, including the 809 mg/L lithium result from the deeper section of the hole. DDH-4 now extends drilling into Demasía, providing an important test of the potential scale and continuity of the system beyond Mito…”
Results from both DDH-3 and DDH-4 will be incorporated into Pursuit’s geological and hydrogeological model, supporting the company’s strategy to expand the existing Mineral Resource and further define the broader scale of Rio Grande Sur.
What is a salar lithium brine system, and why does Demasía matter?
A salar is a salt lake basin, typically found at high altitude in South America’s Lithium Triangle. In these environments, lithium-enriched water becomes trapped in porous underground rock layers over geological time. Unlike conventional hard-rock lithium mining, brine is extracted by pumping it to the surface, making the process comparatively straightforward from an operational standpoint.
Extending drilling into an adjacent tenement like Demasía matters because salar brine systems don’t respect tenement boundaries. If brine-bearing horizons are confirmed to continue laterally beyond the existing Mineral Resource area, it signals the system could be materially larger than currently defined, with direct implications for resource upgrade potential.
The confidence in lateral brine continuity is also supported by advanced geophysics at Rio Grande Sur, where CSAMT reprocessing identified a significantly expanded lithium target zone beneath and beyond the tenements currently covered by the JORC Mineral Resource.
The early brine recovery at just 26m and 58m at DDH-4 is an encouraging initial signal that the system may extend into Demasía. Laboratory analysis is still required to confirm lithium concentration, so no conclusions on grade can be drawn yet.
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A busy pipeline: what’s next for Pursuit at Rio Grande Sur
Pursuit is advancing several workstreams in parallel across its Argentine portfolio. Key upcoming milestones include:
- Pre-Feasibility Study addendums expected to be released shortly, evaluating expanded lithium carbonate and lithium chloride development pathways beyond the initial 5,000tpa operation.
- DDH-3 geological and hydrogeological data to be incorporated into the existing Mineral Resource model, informing resource expansion assessment.
- 30-day continuous pumping test at María Magdalena (PW1), planned following completion of DDH-4, to generate long-duration aquifer performance data for hydrogeological modelling and future wellfield development.
- Site preparation and supporting infrastructure progressing for construction of the approved pilot plant evaporation ponds at Sal Río II, forming part of the relocation of the pilot plant to Rio Grande Sur for on-site pilot-scale operations under actual field conditions.
- Sascha Marcelina Gold Project: IP survey interpretation and AI and machine-learning analysis underway at the Marcelina target, with drilling planned following the conclusion of the winter season.
The drillhole programme to date is summarised below:
| Drill Hole | Location | Latitude | Longitude | Depth | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DDH-3 | Mito tenement | 25°0’43.16″S | 68°10’29.29″W | ~560m | Completed |
| DDH-4 | Demasía tenement | 25°0’41.93″S | 68°11’51.56″W | ~500m | In progress |
Revelle noted that a larger, higher-grade resource base, combined with multiple development pathways, “would further strengthen Rio Grande Sur’s position as a significant long-life lithium project in Argentina,” and provide “greater development optionality” as the company finalises its Pre-Feasibility Study addendums. Whether drilling at Demasía confirms the system extends beyond Mito will be a key watch point for investors as results come through.
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