Lithium Africa Discovers New Spodumene Pegmatite Trend in Côte d'Ivoire

Lithium Africa Corp. has announced the discovery of a new spodumene pegmatite trend in Côte d'Ivoire, named the Kanien Trend, which could significantly enhance the company's exploration potential in the region. The Kanien Trend, located in the Agboville license, has yielded rock samples with up to 1.98% lithium oxide (Li2O), with 14 out of 19 samples returning above 1.0% Li2O. This discovery, along with the previously identified Saby Trend, suggests the presence of a larger lithium district in the Adzopé District.

The Kanien Trend spans approximately 2.8 kilometers and is situated along a sheared muscovite granite, which is also the host for spodumene-bearing pegmatites on the adjacent Rubino license held by Atlantic Lithium Limited. Together, the Kanien and Saby trends, along with the spodumene occurrences reported by Atlantic Lithium, form a corridor of spodumene pegmatite occurrences that stretch for about 7 kilometers.

Thomas R. Benson, Ph.D., the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Lithium Africa, commented, "Following a year of systematic, disciplined field work by our Ivorian team, the Adzopé District now has two primary spodumene trends. The Kanien Trend, grading up to 1.98% Li2O and on strike with our neighbor's spodumene occurrences, joins the Saby Trend, which the Lithium Africa team identified earlier and where our drilling campaign is ongoing. The Kanien results are early-stage, but taken together, the two trends point to an emerging lithium district rather than a series of isolated occurrences. Our approach from here is to explore it as one: use mapping, geochronology, and granite geochemistry to identify the fertile intrusions across the District, and drill only the targets that can move the value of this Company."

The Agboville license, covering 399.27 square kilometers, is about 85 kilometers north of the Port of Abidjan. Regional mapping has identified metasediments intruded by Eburnean granitoids, including a NE-SW trending sheared muscovite granite in the northeastern part of the license, cut by spodumene-bearing pegmatites composed of quartz, albite, and spodumene. Nineteen rock samples of spodumene-bearing pegmatite were collected during successive mapping campaigns between May 2025 and May 2026, defining the Kanien Trend.

Lithium Africa is advancing a district-scale exploration program across the approximately 485 square kilometers of granted licenses that make up the Adzopé District as a single, integrated opportunity. The company has also applied for the adjacent Sikensi license, which, if granted, would extend the District. The company's 50/50 joint venture with GFL International Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Ganfeng Lithium Group Co., Ltd., is supporting this exploration effort.

The company's next steps include regional mapping, geochronology, and granite geochemistry studies to identify fertile intrusions and prioritize the next targets for trenching and drilling. The company is also pausing its 2,000-meter RC drilling program on the Saby Trend for the rainy season, with plans to resume drilling in the coming weeks. Assay results from the program, together with associated QA/QC, will be reported once results have been received and validated by the Qualified Person, targeted for Q4 2026.

Lithium Africa Corp. continues to build its portfolio of hard-rock lithium assets across Africa, with an indirect 50% interest in lithium exploration projects in Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Zimbabwe, and Mali, through its 50/50 joint venture with GFL International Co., Ltd. The company also holds a majority interest in the Springbok Project in South Africa, which is held outside the joint venture.