Solis Minerals to Launch 2,000m June Diamond Drilling at Brazil Lithium Prospects
RIO•Solis Minerals will start a 2,000m diamond drilling program in June 2026 at its Mandacaru and Campo Grande lithium prospects in Brazil after acquiring the package from Rio Tinto. Past assays at Mandacaru peaked at 362ppm lithium and auger drilling reached 338ppm, while Campo Grande hit 294ppm lithium.
1. Drilling Campaign and Timeline
Solis Minerals has contracted a drilling firm to execute an initial 2,000-metre diamond drilling program at Mandacaru starting in June 2026, with operations scheduled to shift to the Campo Grande target upon completion. This campaign represents the transition from early-stage field validation to active subsurface testing of pegmatite systems.
2. Exploration Targets and Assay Results
Historical soil sampling at Mandacaru revealed a multi-kilometre lithium anomaly peaking at 362ppm, and auger drilling returned 338ppm lithium alongside elevated tantalum, rubidium and tin. At Campo Grande, downhole intervals exceeded 14 metres with peak lithium assays of 294ppm, reinforcing the technical case for spodumene-bearing pegmatites.
3. Strategic Acquisition and Regional Context
The drilling program follows Solis Minerals’ acquisition of a district-scale lithium package from Rio Tinto earlier this year, positioning it within the Araçuaí–Salinas Lithium Valley. The tenure sits adjacent to Pilbara Minerals’ Colina project and near Sigma Lithium’s Grota de Cirilo operation, leveraging local landowner cooperation and existing infrastructure.
