en.Wedoany.com Reported - US-based Atana Elements recently announced the completion of a $27.5 million capital raise, which will be primarily used for lithium exploration in Chile's Maricunga Basin and the Andean Salt Flat. The company employs AI-assisted geological targeting and large-scale basin computational screening methods to systematically assess Chile's lithium resources without relying on traditional large-scale drilling. The Maricunga Salt Flat is Chile's second-largest salt flat after Atacama, covering approximately 14,000 hectares, with lithium reserves of about 8 million tons of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) and an average lithium concentration of approximately 1,100 mg/L.
Atana Elements is a mineral exploration company centered on technology integration. Its core methodology compresses traditional exploration timelines through artificial intelligence, satellite-derived geological datasets, and basin-scale computational screening. The company's Chile strategy targets lithium as the primary mineral, focusing on brine lithium systems in Chile's salt flat environments, with secondary targets including copper and associated minerals in the northern porphyry copper belt. The $27.5 million raised will be used for exploration activities, data acquisition, and building partnerships within the global project portfolio.
The Maricunga Salt Flat, located in Chile's Atacama region, is one of the current global hotspots for lithium exploration. The lithium-to-magnesium ratio of the brine in this salt flat is similar to that of the Atacama Salt Flat, and Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) technology is well-compatible with the brine chemistry of the Maricunga Salt Flat, enhancing the commercial appeal of this area for emerging exploration companies. Rio Tinto has announced a $350 million investment to form a joint venture with Chile's state-owned Codelco to conduct resource assessments for the project and advance toward a final investment decision.
Atana Elements' presence in Chile reflects a structural reallocation trend in international exploration capital. Under Chile's national critical minerals strategy, the country has explicitly outlined three goals: narrowing geological data gaps in unexplored areas, accelerating exploration permit approval cycles, and attracting technologically capable international partners. Chile is currently the world's second-largest lithium producer, holding approximately 36% of the world's known lithium reserves, concentrated in the Atacama and Maricunga salt flat basins. The company plans to achieve a data maturity level sufficient to attract partners within the next two to three years. Its core pathways include establishing joint ventures with Chilean state-owned enterprises (such as Codelco or the National Mining Company ENAMI), introducing equity participation agreements from international mining companies, and securing offtake-linked investments from battery manufacturers and electric vehicle supply chain participants. Exploration in Chile faces regulatory factors such as indigenous consultation, competition for water rights, and the evolving mining legislative environment, which are practical constraints to consider in the country's exploration activities.
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