NOA Lithium Brines Inc. has completed a 48-hour continuous pumping test at well RT-RG26-PW001, part of its 2026 exploration programme at the Rio Grande Project in Salta Province, Argentina. Drilling was halted at 140 metres after persistent fluid losses, leaving deeper aquifer zones for potential future investigation.
The company said drilling encountered a highly permeable formation that caused continuing losses of drilling fluid. Attempts to restore circulation did not allow work to proceed into the deeper sections.
RT-RG26-PW001 reached a maximum depth of 140 metres, compared with an original plan of 400 metres. As a result, the work evaluated only the upper part of the aquifer in that area. Aquifer potential below 140 metres was not assessed by the well.
The well’s six-inch diameter restricted the size of pump that could be installed. In its current configuration, the well has a maximum pumping capacity of approximately 15 L/s, which the company said is consistent with the 15 L/s flow-rate assumption used in the Project’s Preliminary Economic Assessment.
During testing, the well maintained a stable hydraulic response as extraction rates increased. NOA reported estimated transmissivity of approximately 95 m²/day from the upper aquifer alone and projected hydraulic efficiency of 93% at 15 L/s.
The company said the current test does not establish the maximum flow that could be obtained from a deeper completion.
Laboratory analysis of brine samples collected during the pumping test has not yet been completed. NOA said the results will characterise samples from the upper aquifer accessed by RT-RG26-PW001, but will not cover brine below 140 metres.
The well is near diamond drill hole DDH-RG23-001. NOA previously reported lithium concentrations above 400 mg/L in samples taken from intervals between 101 metres and 139 metres at that hole. A deeper interval from 311 metres to 469 metres averaged 773 mg/L lithium, with individual concentrations reaching up to 925 mg/L.
#Further work required for deeper aquifer assessment
NOA said deeper evaluation would require additional drilling with a deeper completion, more screened areas, a suitable well diameter and a larger pump. The company stated that its tested results, together with the higher lithium concentrations identified in deeper nearby drilling, support its expectation that a deeper, larger-diameter production well could achieve substantially higher brine production rates while potentially accessing higher-grade lithium-bearing brines.
That expectation is forward-looking and subject to risks and uncertainties identified by the company. NOA said actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated.
NOA said its 2026 drilling programme is intended to help evaluate brine-bearing aquifers and refine the Rio Grande Project’s hydrogeological and resource models as it advances towards further technical and economic studies.
Chief Executive Officer Gabriel Rubacha said the company was encouraged by the well’s performance despite the drilling and pumping constraints. He also said NOA was awaiting the laboratory results as it progresses towards the next stage of technical studies.
NOA Lithium Brines Inc. is a lithium exploration and development company focused on acquiring assets with resource potential. Its projects are located in Salta Province, Argentina, across the Rio Grande, Arizaro and Salinas Grandes salars, covering over 140,000 hectares. The company trades on the TSXV under TSXV:NOAL and in Frankfurt under Frankfurt:N7N.
NOA Lithium completed RT-RG26-PW001 and its 48-hour continuous pumping test at the Rio Grande Project.
Drilling reached 140 metres, below the planned depth of 400 metres, leaving deeper aquifer intervals unevaluated.
The well recorded approximately 15 L/s of pumping capacity, estimated transmissivity of approximately 95 m²/day and projected efficiency of 93% at 15 L/s.
Brine laboratory results are pending and will cover only the upper aquifer accessed by the well.
Further drilling and a larger well and pump would be required to assess deeper aquifer productivity.
NOA Lithium Brines Inc. announced an update on its 2026 exploration drilling programme at the Rio Grande Project in Salta Province, Argentina. The company said it completed well RT-RG26-PW001 and its 48-hour continuous pumping test.
NOA Lithium Brines Inc. announced the update on November 5, 2026, and it covers the company’s 2026 exploration drilling programme at the Rio Grande Project.
Drilling encountered a highly permeable formation that caused persistent drilling fluid losses, and multiple attempts to restore circulation were unsuccessful. As a result, the well could not be drilled into the deeper aquifer intervals.
RT-RG26-PW001 reached a maximum depth of 140 metres, compared with the originally planned depth of 400 metres. The company said this restricted evaluation to the upper part of the aquifer, leaving the deeper area for exploration at a later date.
The well’s six-inch diameter limited the pump size, giving its current configuration a maximum pumping capacity of approximately 15 litres per second. The company said this capacity is consistent with the 15 L/s flow-rate assumption used in the Project’s Preliminary Economic Assessment.
NOA Lithium Brines Inc. reported that the well maintained a stable hydraulic response as extraction rates increased, with an estimated transmissivity of approximately 95 m²/day from the upper aquifer alone. The company also reported projected hydraulic efficiency of 93% at 15 L/s.
Laboratory results for brine samples from the pumping tests are pending. The company said the results will characterise the sampled brine from the upper aquifer accessed by the well, but will not assess brine below 140 metres.
The company said samples from discrete intervals between 101 metres and 139 metres at nearby diamond drill hole DDH-RG23-001 returned lithium concentrations above 400 mg/L. A deeper interval from 311 metres to 469 metres averaged 773 mg/L lithium, with individual concentrations up to 925 mg/L.
Further drilling with deeper completion and additional screened areas would be needed, together with an appropriate well diameter and a larger pump. NOA Lithium Brines Inc. said the current test does not establish the maximum flow that could be achieved from such a completion.
NOA Lithium Brines Inc. said the tested well performance, combined with higher lithium concentrations previously identified in deeper nearby drilling, supports its expectation that a deeper, larger-diameter production well could achieve substantially higher brine production rates while potentially accessing higher-grade lithium-bearing brines. The company’s forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated.
The company said its 2026 drilling programme is designed to support evaluation of brine-bearing aquifers and ongoing refinement of the Project’s hydrogeological and resource models. NOA Lithium Brines Inc. said it is advancing the Project towards further technical and economic studies.
NOA Lithium Brines Inc. is a lithium exploration and development company formed to acquire assets with significant resource potential. Its projects are located in Salta Province, Argentina, across the Rio Grande, Arizaro and Salinas Grandes salars, totalling over 140,000 hectares.
NOA Lithium Brines Inc. trades on the TSXV under the ticker TSXV:NOAL and on Frankfurt under the ticker Frankfurt:N7N.
Chief Executive Officer Gabriel Rubacha said the company was encouraged by the performance of RT-RG26-PW001 and viewed completion of the 48-hour test with a stable hydraulic response from a well drilled to only 140 metres as a positive outcome despite the drilling and pumping constraints. He said the company was awaiting laboratory results as it advances the Project towards the next stage of technical studies.