Hombre Muerto South Lithium Brine Project
Projects in the vicinity of the HMS Project collectively hold an impressive post-tax NPV in excess of US$20 billion.
Project Summary
The Hombre Muerto South (HMS) lithium project spans ca. 60,000 hectares in the Hombre Muerto basin, Argentina’s most prolific lithium brine basin situated in South America’s “Lithium Triangle”.
The Hombre Muerto basin ranks in the top quartile globally in terms of lithium concentrations, magnesium-to-lithium ratios, and all in sustaining costs.
Commodity
Lithium
Deposit type
Brine deposit
Mineralising event
Evaporation
Land Area
+60,000 Ha
Location
Salta, Argentina
Elevation
4200 m
Market View
Lithium
The lithium market is set for substantial growth, with demand expected to rise sharply by 2050. In just under a decade, by 2032, the demand for lithium is predicted to exceed the total mined from 2015 to 2022. By mid-century, annual lithium demand is projected to reach 11,200 kt LCE, primarily to support battery production for a variety of technologies. These projections by Benchmark Lithium Forecast highlight the need for increased lithium mining to match future energy storage requirements.
Geology
The HMS Project is characterized as a lithium brine deposit located in a high-altitude region where the rate of water evaporation significantly exceeds the rate of precipitation. This geological setting has facilitated the formation of salars over the past 20+ million years. Salars, or salt flats, began forming during this period, accumulating lithium through two primary sources:
1. Lithium solubilization from Ignimbrites:
Volcanic ash, known as ignimbrites, contains lithium that is solubilized and leached into the salars.
2. Geothermal Springs:
These springs contribute additional lithium to the salars through geothermal activity.
These processes have led to a high concentration of lithium within the salars. Specifically, paleo-salars are ancient salars that have been buried beneath erosional sediments and volcanic ash. In these paleo-salars, lithium-enriched brines are preserved, maintaining their valuable mineral content.
The HMS Project is hypothesized to be a paleo-salar, enriched with lithium from the adjacent Galan volcano. The thick ignimbrite cover deposited by the volcano over the project area has played a crucial role in supplying lithium to the system, making it a significant source of lithium brine.
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