Andrada Mining has announced significant new exploration results at its Lithium Ridge project in Namibia, revealing lithium oxide grades up to 14.72% Li₂O and extending the known mineralised trend by 50% from six to nine kilometres. The latest findings also identify multiple new mineralised pegmatites beyond the main corridor, highlighting the project’s growing potential.
These results, made public on Tuesday, come from the final batch of grab samples collected during Stage 1 of Andrada’s earn-in agreement with Chilean lithium producer SQM through its subsidiary SQM Australia.
The new assays confirmed high-grade lithium mineralisation across several newly identified pegmatites, alongside significant tin and tantalum mineralisation, indicating a broader mineralised system than previously recognised. Among the standout results, one sample returned 14.72% Li₂O, with another from the same pegmatite assaying 13.77% Li₂O. Additional samples recorded grades above 4% Li₂O, including 4.99%, 4.94%, 4.31%, 4.20%, and 4.10% Li₂O.
The programme also yielded impressive tin and tantalum assay results, with tin concentrations up to 7.38% and tantalum reaching 3,192 ppm. In total, 60 samples returned lithium oxide grades exceeding 1% Li₂O, including 48 samples above 2% Li₂O. Furthermore, 160 samples contained more than 0.1% tin, and 163 samples had tantalum grades surpassing 75 ppm.
Andrada’s CEO, Anthony Viljoen, described the programme as a key milestone, stating, “The completion of the licence-wide surface sampling programme marks another important milestone in our evaluation of Lithium Ridge. The results extend the identified mineralised trend by an additional three kilometres and confirm high-grade lithium mineralisation across multiple new pegmatites, together with significant associated tin and tantalum mineralisation.”
He added, “These results complement the encouraging diamond drilling results reported to date, which have demonstrated lithium mineralisation from surface to borehole depth and have strengthened our understanding of the scale and continuity of the broader pegmatite system. The identification of additional mineralised pegmatites beyond the principal trend further highlights the exploration potential that remains across the licence area.”
This announcement completes the analysis of all 1,230 grab samples from approximately 1,500 mapped pegmatites across the mining licence. The first 496 sample results were released in January, with the remaining 734 included in this latest update. The mapping and sampling programme was designed to identify additional mineralised pegmatites as part of the Stage 1 earn-in with SQM, including both visibly spodumene-bearing and other pegmatites to build a comprehensive geochemical database.
The findings show that high-grade lithium mineralisation is not limited to the main Lithium Ridge trend, with numerous mineralised pegmatites identified elsewhere on the licence. The project’s polymetallic potential is underscored by the co-occurrence of high tin and tantalum values in pegmatites hosting significant lithium mineralisation.
Additionally, Andrada completed an approximately 16,500-metre diamond drilling programme in May 2026 targeting many of the identified mineralised pegmatites. Core samples are currently being analysed, with further assay results expected as they become available.
The company plans to integrate the surface sampling results and drilling data into a geological model of the Lithium Ridge mineral system to guide ongoing exploration and support the project’s continued evaluation.
