Introduction to Pursuit Minerals Ltd
Pursuit Minerals Ltd (ASX: PUR) has made a significant announcement regarding the dispatch of high-purity lithium carbonate samples to multiple parties. These samples are part of the company’s engagement with prospective offtake and strategic partners. The samples were produced from the company’s 250tpa Pilot Plant in Salta, Argentina, using synthetic brine that is chemically identical to that of the Rio Grande Sur Lithium Project.
Key Highlights
The company has achieved several key milestones, including:
- Final product assays that confirm 99.5% lithium carbonate purity, which was upgraded from pilot output via bench scale processing.
- Certified samples have been dispatched to multiple potential offtake and strategic partners for qualification.
- A feasibility study is progressing for a low-cost, 5,000tpa operation at Rio Grande Sur.
- Ongoing small batch lithium carbonate production will support offtake qualification while preserving capital discipline in current market conditions.
- Pursuit continues to advance its dual-pronged growth strategy, progressing Rio Grande Sur while accelerating the evaluation of strategic gold, silver, and copper acquisitions in Argentina.
Achieving High-Purity Lithium Carbonate
Pursuit’s Managing Director & CEO, Aaron Revelle, commented on the dispatch of samples, stating that achieving 99.5% lithium carbonate purity is a major technical milestone for the company. It demonstrates the capability embedded within the company’s flowsheet, team, and pilot plant infrastructure. This achievement not only validates the compatibility of the process design with Rio Grande Sur brines but also confirms the ability to deliver a consistently high-quality product suited to a wide range of industrial and energy storage applications.
Production and Quality Enhancement
Initial pilot production at Pursuit’s 250tpa Pilot Plant in Salta successfully produced 15 kilograms of lithium carbonate at 98.9% purity. To enhance product quality, a portion of this material was further treated at bench scale using fractional crystallisation (FX) and ion exchange (IX) techniques. These post-processing steps upgraded the product to 99.5% purity, meeting established benchmarks for technical-grade lithium carbonate. The final product assays confirm the effectiveness of Pursuit’s downstream purification strategy and the scalability and robustness of its broader flowsheet.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Pursuit Minerals Ltd has made significant progress in producing high-purity lithium carbonate, achieving 99.5% purity through its pilot plant and post-processing techniques. The company’s ability to produce high-quality lithium carbonate suitable for industrial use, with potential to meet battery-grade specifications through additional refinement, positions it well for future growth and partnerships. With ongoing small-batch production and a progressing feasibility study for a 5,000tpa operation, Pursuit is advancing its dual-pronged growth strategy, making it an interesting player in the lithium market.
