Lithium Argentina Increases Cauchari-Olaroz Resource 42%, Plans 45,000 tpa Expansion
Measured and Indicated resources at Cauchari-Olaroz surged 42% to 28.1 Mt LCE with average grade 562 mg/L, while Inferred resources more than doubled to 9.6 Mt LCE. Stage 2 development now targets an additional 45,000 tpa of lithium carbonate equivalent after extending the resource footprint by 20 km.
1. Updated Mineral Resource Estimate
Lithium Argentina’s Updated Estimate at Cauchari-Olaroz raised Measured and Indicated resources by 42% to 28.1 Mt LCE with an average grade of 562 mg/L, and boosted Inferred resources to 9.6 Mt LCE following additional drilling, production data integration, and basin-wide hydrogeological modeling.
2. Stage 1 Operations and Cost Efficiency
The existing Cauchari-Olaroz Stage 1 facility continues operating near its 40,000 tpa capacity with production costs under $6,000 per tonne, reaffirming a 35-year reserve model aligned with current output and supporting long-term project viability.
3. Stage 2 Expansion and Permitting
Stage 2 targets an additional 45,000 tpa of LCE after filing the RIGI application and environmental permits in December 2025; results of the updated development plan are expected by mid-2026 to de-risk the growth pipeline and optimize capital allocation.