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Andrada Mining Limited (AIM: ATM, OTCQB: ATMTF), the critical minerals producer with operations in Namibia, has commenced exploration drilling at its Lithium Ridge project in partnership with Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile SA (SQM) through its subsidiary SQM Australia (Pty) Ltd. The campaign marks a major step in the stage one workplan of the three stage earn-in agreement between the two companies.
Under the agreement, SQM will fund up to US$7 million in exploration during this first phase to secure an initial 30% interest at project level. The deal has the potential to see SQM invest as much as US$40 million across the three stages, reinforcing its commitment to expanding in the lithium sector.
Drilling is targeting 14,000 metres of orientated diamond drilling across priority lithium zones. Early progress has already yielded encouraging signs with high-resolution geological mapping and sampling having identified new pegmatites containing visible spodumene mineralisation. These findings build on historical results of up to 2.13% Li₂O along a six-kilometre mineralised ridgeline, strengthening the case for Lithium Ridge as one of Namibia’s most prospective lithium plays.
Andrada’s Chief Executive Officer Anthony Viljoen said the partnership represents a turning point for the project. “The commencement of drilling at Lithium Ridge with our tier-1 joint-venture partner, SQM, is a significant step forward in unlocking one of Namibia’s most exciting lithium opportunities. The encouraging historical results of up to 2.13% Li₂O along the 6 km ridge line are already being complemented by new geological mapping and sampling that has identified additional mineralised pegmatites containing visible spodumene crystals.
This strengthens our confidence in the scale and quality of the project. The investment by SQM underscores Lithium Ridge’s potential and Namibia’s growing role in the global supply of critical minerals. We expect this programme to provide the foundation for fast-tracking the project towards development,” said Viljoen.
With exploration now underway, Andrada and SQM are positioning Lithium Ridge to become a cornerstone of Namibia’s critical minerals sector, offering potential to contribute meaningfully to the global energy transition.
