NOA Lithium Brines Inc. has hired Montgomery & Associates (M&A) to develop the hydrogeological model for the Río Grande salar, supporting the preliminary feasibility study for its Río Grande project, which the company expects to complete before the end of 2026.
Gabriel Rubacha, chief executive of NOA Lithium, said: “This is another milestone in Rio Grande's journey to feasibility. Our goal this year remains to complete the PFS and this event marks the initiation of the activities necessary to achieve this.”
One of the initial preliminary tasks of the pre-feasibility study is the preparation of a basin water balance report, scheduled for completion by the end of the first quarter of 2026. This is a core engineering report for the project, quantifying total inflows and outflows as well as changes in water storage at the project site.
Río Grande is located near numerous projects and operations owned by some of the lithium industry’s leading players. NOA has been rapidly consolidating one of the largest portfolios of lithium brine concessions in the region that is not held by a producing company, with key positions across three prospective salars — Río Grande, Arizaro and Salinas Grandes — totaling more than 140,000 hectares.
NOA Lithium is a lithium exploration and development company founded to acquire assets with significant resource potential. All of its projects are located in the heart of the prolific Lithium Triangle, in Argentina’s Salta province, a region spanning parts of Argentina, Chile and Bolivia that hosts some of the world’s largest lithium resources.
Montgomery & Associates, meanwhile, is an international water resources consultancy specializing in water management and mining hydrogeology services, including the characterization of aquifer conditions. The firm has operated since 1984, with South American offices currently in Santiago, Chile, and Salta, Argentina. M&A is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, and its client portfolio includes most domestic and international mining entities operating in the Americas.
M&A has been working on NOA’s Río Grande project since 2023 and has extensive experience in Argentina and the broader region. The firm has also worked on many projects in operation and development across Argentina, including multiple lithium brine projects in both production and development stages.
Unlocking Río Grande’s potential
Located at 3,600 meters above sea level, the geological setting of the Río Grande salar is similar to that of other salars in the Puna plateau, where successful lithium projects are under development.
Río Grande is situated near a railway line along Provincial Route 27 and lies 185 km south of Provincial Route 51, the international corridor connecting to Chile’s coastal ports. It is also 50 km from the Caipe international rail station. The InterAndes power corridor runs a few kilometers from the salar.
Pluspetrol holds the most advanced lithium resource development project in the salar, with concessions adjacent to NOA’s. NOA’s concessions are located on the western, northern and eastern flanks of the salar, covering both the surface salt flat and the alluvial fans (covered salar).
NOA Lithium Brines has been making significant investments in exploration and concession acquisitions, underscoring the company’s commitment to the full development of its lithium projects and progress toward commercial production.
The company achieved meaningful advances at the project and published its initial resource estimate less than 12 months after listing. Since then, the initial resource has doubled to reach 4.7 million metric tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE), with an average lithium concentration of 525 mg/L.