Mining giant Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) has enlisted the services of Australian space exploration company Fleet Space Technologies to advance exploration at its Rincon Lithium Project in Argentina.
Using Fleet Space’s ExoSphere technology, Rio Tinto will develop 3D subsurface maps of the reservoir, basement depth, and brine influencing structures across 100km2 of the project’s salt flat and nearby subvolcanic structures.
ExoSphere’s end-to-end exploration solution enables real-time 3D ambient noise tomography (ANT) data acquisition and processing by Fleet Space’s satellite network to deliver actionable 3D subsurface insights in days with near-zero environmental impact.
The technology enables 3D subsurface insights down to a depth of 5km.
Fleet Space Technologies Co-Founder and CEO Flavia Tata Nardini says Rio Tinto and Fleet Space share a commitment to pioneering breakthrough technologies to make net-zero a reality.
Rio Tinto describes the Rincon Lithium Project as a large, undeveloped lithium-brine project located in the heart of the ‘lithium triangle’ in Argentina and a valuable source of rapidly produced, high-quality lithium for the global energy transition.
CEO Jakob Stausholm says Rincon, which is capable of producing battery-grade lithium carbonate from raw brine, strengthens Rio Tinto’s battery materials business and positions the company to meet the double digit growth in demand for lithium over the next decade, at a time when supply is constrained.
Rio Tinto is developing a small starter battery-grade lithium carbonate plant with a capacity of 3,000 tonnes per year.
Fleet Space has worked with numerous other exploration companies including Kincora Copper (ASX:KCC), Inflection Resources (CSE:AUCU), Astute Metals (ASX:ASE) and Barrick Gold (TSX:ABX).
Write to Angela East at Mining.com.au
Images: Fleet Space Technologies
