Lake Resources N.L. (ASX: LKE; OTCQX: LLKKF) has received the Environmental Impact Declaration (DIA) for its Kachi Lithium Brine Project in Catamarca Province, Argentina. This milestone marks the successful conclusion of Kachi’s Exploitation Environmental and Social Impact Assessment application and positions the project as one of the few fully permitted, large-scale, independent greenfield lithium brine projects globally.
Material actions and disclosures
The DIA confirms that Kachi’s engineering design, resource management plan, and sustainability profile comply with the strict environmental and social standards of Catamarca Province and Argentina. The project has committed to a US$1 million contribution to the Mining Royalty Trust Fund of Catamarca, to be paid in instalments from October 2026 through June 2027, supporting key infrastructure projects in the province.
As part of Kachi’s environmental management framework, a 200m surficial exclusion zone surrounding the lagoon shoreline has been adopted, defining the spatial and operational boundary between project activities and the lagoon ecosystem. The exclusion zone is expected not to affect the existing ore reserve estimate or the wellfield development plan.
Forward commitments
Lake is advancing Kachi into the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) phase, focusing on engineering definition and optimisation, procurement and vendor integration, constructability and execution optimisation, and financing support. This phase will refine key civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical engineering packages for phase one of the 25,000 tonnes per annum lithium carbonate equivalent commercial facility.
Lake Resources Managing Director and CEO, David Dickson, stated, “Securing the Environmental Impact Declaration for Kachi is the most important milestone in Lake Resources’ and Kachi’s history. It moves Kachi into fully permitted status, making the project shovel-ready and validating the world-class scientific foundation of Lilac’s Direct Lithium Extraction model.”
