High Porosity at Formentera Well Raises Questions on Patagonia Lithium’s Production Timeline

Strong Porosity Metrics Confirm Resource Potential

Patagonia Lithium Ltd (ASX: PL3) has released compelling new data from its Formentera Lithium Brine Project in Argentina, highlighting exceptional porosity and specific yield results from the JAM 24-01 well. The Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) survey recorded a maximum total porosity of 44% and a specific yield of 32%, metrics that are critical indicators of the reservoir’s ability to store and release lithium-bearing brine.

These values not only surpass typical expectations for lithium brine deposits but also closely match the assumptions used in the company’s maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) announced earlier this year, which quantified an in-situ lithium metal resource of 717,000 tonnes. The average porosity of 28% and specific yield of 9% across the surveyed intervals provide a robust foundation for ongoing resource modelling and development planning.

Lithium Assays Support Production Viability

Complementing the porosity data, lithium assays from well JAM 24-01 show increasing concentrations with depth, reaching up to 591 parts per million (ppm). This gradient underscores the quality of the brine resource and its suitability for extraction. The presence of four distinct aquifer zones, particularly a substantial aquifer spanning 140 metres between 220m and 360m depth, indicates strong water flow and recharge potential, key factors for sustainable lithium production.

Executive Chairman Phillip Thomas emphasized the significance of these findings, noting that the high porosity and sustained pump rates of 2,500 litres per hour at wells 1 and 2, which lie only 300 metres apart, demonstrate the site’s production scope. The data confirm that the location near the proposed 1,000 tonne lithium carbonate plant is ideal for establishing production wells.

Strategic Implications for Patagonia Lithium

This latest technical update reinforces Patagonia Lithium’s position within the lithium triangle, a globally strategic region for lithium supply. The company’s methodical approach, combining geophysical surveys, drilling, and detailed brine sampling, continues to yield encouraging results that validate its exploration strategy and resource estimates.

While the announcement does not provide updated production timelines or capital expenditure details, the confirmation of high porosity and lithium grades is a positive signal for future resource upgrades and feasibility studies. Investors and analysts will be watching closely as Patagonia Lithium advances its development plans and prepares for the next phase of drilling and resource delineation.