Pursuit Minerals (ASX:PUR) - Pilot-Proven Lithium Project in Argentina Targets 5,000tpa Development

Interview with Aaron Revelle, MD & CEO of Pursuit MineralsRecording date: 5th August 2026Pursuit Minerals is advancing a small-scale lithium development strategy in Argentina while preparing to test a newly defined gold-silver exploration system. The company’s flagship Rio Grande Sur project, located on the Rio Grande Salar in Salta province, is supported by a completed Pre-Feasibility Study for an initial 5,000-tonne-per-year lithium carbonate operation.The study outlines a net present value of approximately $364 million, estimated capital costs of $120 million to $157 million and an internal rate of return of about 22%. With forecast operating costs of roughly $6,500 per tonne, the project is positioned in the lower quartile of the global cost curve. Pursuit has also produced technical-grade lithium carbonate with 99.5% purity from its pilot plant, providing practical validation of the proposed processing flowsheet.The company is relocating the pilot plant to Rio Grande Sur to test the process using site brine and local operating conditions. It has also expanded its landholding by 1,362 hectares through an acquisition from REMSA, bringing the project’s total tenement area to approximately 10,595 hectares. Diamond drilling is now underway at the Mito target, where geophysical surveys identified a deep, basin-scale conductive anomaly.Pursuit is assessing larger production scenarios through Stage 2 Pre-Feasibility Study addendums, including lithium carbonate and lithium chloride options. Its proposed development model is to secure an offtake partner, use project debt to fund the initial operation and expand production after the base plant generates cash flow.The company’s second asset, the Sascha Marcelina gold-silver project in Santa Cruz province, has advanced following geological mapping that identified five priority targets. An induced polarisation survey is underway, with maiden drilling expected to begin from September 2026.Pursuit held $3.068 million in cash at 30 June 2026 and owned a $4.82 million stake in Kendrick Resources. While its modest market capitalisation and low-capex strategy may offer leverage to improving lithium demand, securing construction finance remains the critical challenge.View Pursuit Minerals' company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/pursuit-minerals-limitedSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com