Galan Lithium Limited (GLN) has successfully completed wet plant commissioning at its 100% owned Hombre Muerto West project in Argentina’s Catamarca Province. The developer confirmed that its first processed lithium chloride brine has been discharged into final evaporation ponds, marking a critical transition from construction to the operational phase. Testing indicates that impurity rejection performance within the nanofiltration plant is currently tracking in line with original design specifications.

The company currently holds a substantial stockpile of approximately 10,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) in brine inventory. This supply will provide the necessary feedstock for the initial production ramp-up. While the site is undergoing an optimisation phase that will result in variable processing rates, the company expects to reach a stable annualised production rate of 4 ktpa LCE later this year. Looking forward, management is already planning for an expansion to 5.2 ktpa LCE, with pond construction slated to begin shortly to support an uplift by the first half of 2027.

"The significance of the successful commissioning of the HMW plant cannot be overstated. The HMW mining operations have now been completely de-risked from start to finish and in just a few months we expect to have lithium chloride concentrate ready for sales. To our knowledge Galan will be the only greenfield lithium project coming online in 2026. Becoming a new source of potential supply to the battery supply chain is very exciting and it is well timed to take advantage of a favourable lithium pricing environment.Congratulations to our team and our partner Authium Limited. We thank the Government of Catamarca and the local communities for their support in helping us realise this transformative milestone." — Juan Pablo (JP) Vargas de la Vega, Managing Director

Beyond the immediate Phase 1 ramp-up, the company retains construction permits for a Phase 2 expansion targeting 21 ktpa LCE. This project sits within a regional hub of activity, located near other developments including Hombre Muerto by Lithium South Development Corporation and Galan Lithium Limited's own Candelas project. Galan remains focused on delivering its first concentrate shipment to partner Authium Limited in the second half of 2026.