Andrada Mining Confirms High Grade Lithium System at Lithium Ridge Project in Namibia
Andrada Mining Identifies Surface Lithium Grades Above 4% Li₂O at Lithium Ridge in Namibia
Andrada Mining has identified multiple surface samples grading above 4% lithium oxide, with a peak value of 4.67% Li₂O, at its Lithium Ridge project in Namibia.
The results confirm the presence of a high-grade lithium system as exploration drilling continues to advance.
The AIM-listed tin producer said extensive geological mapping and grab sampling across the Lithium Ridge licence area, conducted in partnership with Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile SA through its subsidiary SQM Australia, delivered exceptional lithium grades.
The findings validate the scale and quality of mineralisation ahead of ongoing drilling activities.
The surface sampling programme supports Andrada’s Stage 1 drilling campaign, which is being funded by SQM under an earn-in agreement that allows the Chilean group to acquire a 30% interest in the project.
High-grade laboratory results were recorded across multiple pegmatite bodies along the mineralised trend, reinforcing Lithium Ridge’s footprint and exploration upside.
In addition to lithium, the programme confirmed significant polymetallic mineralisation. Individual samples returned tin grades of up to 3.12% Sn and tantalum values of up to 905 parts per million, highlighting the potential for valuable by-product credits that could enhance future project economics.
Spodumene has been confirmed as the primary lithium-bearing mineral, consistent with results from earlier drilling and sampling programmes.
Visual identification of lithium minerals, supported by handheld Raman spectroscopy, suggests that mineralisation extends well beyond the areas initially targeted.
Chief executive officer Anthony Viljoen said the results strongly validate the quality and scale of the Lithium Ridge project.
He noted that surface samples grading above 4% Li₂O, together with confirmation of spodumene as the dominant lithium mineral, support the company’s view that Lithium Ridge hosts a large, high-quality lithium system.
Viljoen added that the presence of meaningful tin and tantalum grades alongside lithium mineralisation underscores the project’s polymetallic nature and its potential to deliver by-product credits that could materially improve project economics.
He said Lithium Ridge highlights the broader regional upside within Andrada’s portfolio, even as expansion activities continue at the company’s flagship Uis mine.
The company is now awaiting the first assay results from the Stage 1 drilling programme, which is progressing on schedule.
The mapping and sampling programme systematically covered the entire licence area, with more than 1,500 outcropping pegmatites mapped to date.
Of the 496 grab samples analysed so far, 115 returned lithium grades above 1% Li₂O, including 83 samples grading above 2% Li₂O. In addition, 156 samples returned tin grades above 0.1%, while 165 samples recorded tantalum values exceeding 75 ppm.
These results confirm ore-grade lithium potential across numerous pegmatites that had not previously been drilled or sampled and demonstrate that many of these bodies also host significant tin and tantalum mineralisation.
Sampling was carried out by qualified geological teams, with locations recorded using handheld GPS devices. Sample preparation was completed at SA Labs Ithuba, while geochemical analysis was undertaken at UIS Analytical Services.
Lithium and major elements were analysed using sodium peroxide fusion with ICP-OES, and tin, tantalum, and trace elements were analysed using lithium borate fusion with ICP-MS.
Andrada confirmed that quality assurance and quality control procedures were reviewed and found to be compliant.
The Stage 1 drilling programme commenced in the third quarter of 2025 and comprises approximately 14,000 metres of oriented core drilling across around 120 drill holes.
A third diamond drill rig was mobilised to site in November 2025 to accelerate drilling progress.
The technical data has been reviewed by Professor Laurence Robb, a non-executive director of Andrada with more than 30 years’ experience in exploration and economic geology, who acts as the Competent Person for the reporting of exploration results.
SOURCE:batterymetalsafrica.com
