Lithium South Strengthens the Development Team and Fast-tracks HMN Project Feasibility
VANCOUVER, BC, July 23, 2025 /CNW/ -- Lithium South Development Corporation (the "Company" or "Lithium South") (TSX-V: LIS) (OTCQB: LISMF) (Frankfurt: OGPQ) is pleased to announce the appointment of Claudio C. Zalewski as Director of Development & Construction for the Hombre Muerto North ("HMN") Lithium Project (the "Project") in Argentina's Salta basin.
Based in Salta, Mr. Zalewski is a bilingual civil engineer (BSc Civil Engineering, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1981) with more than forty years of project-delivery experience, including:
- Project Director – Pastos Grandes Lithium Project (US $450 M)
- Engineering & Home-Office Construction Manager – Centenario Lithium Project (US $550 M)
- Consultant - ADY Resources Rincon Lithium Project, located on the Rincon salar in Salta Province.
"Joining Lithium South at this pivotal moment lets me bring decades of lithium-brine experience to unlock the full value of the Hombre Muerto North Lithium Project. With the groundwork already in place, I'm confident we can reach feasibility swiftly and move toward construction alongside committed funding partners," said Claudio C. Zalewski, Director of Development & Construction.
Fast-track Work Plan Underway
Together with the COO, Mr. Zalewsky has prioritized four workstreams documented in the project register:
- DFS Tender Package – draft ready for bidder issue
- Design Criteria – consolidated discipline bases of design
- CAPEX/OPEX & Financial Models – templates 70 % populated
- Project Execution Plan & Procedures – Revision A under internal review
Lithium South is working to complete a comprehensive development schedule covering every stage from Feasibility Study award through construction and commissioning, reinforcing the target to launch the Feasibility Study tendering before end-Q3 2025 and deliver full Feasibility by late Q1 2026.
New Tax and Import Regulations / RIGI Welcomed by LIS
Recent changes to tax and import regulations in Argentina are welcomed by Lithium South. Argentina's Régimen de Incentivo a las Grandes Inversiones (RIGI), created under Law 27.742 (July 2024), grants eligible projects (> US $200 M) a 30-year stability regime on tax, customs and FX rules and a flat 25 % corporate income-tax rate, alongside accelerated depreciation, VAT/import-duty relief and phased export-duty reductions. This new regime is expected to significantly impact the feasibility of the HMN Li Project in a very positive way.
Project Option
The Company is pleased to announce it has arranged the Purchase Option of the Hydra X 1 and Hydra X 2 claim blocks located near the Company holdings on the Hombre Muerto Salar. The two projects total approximately 5,555 hectares and increase the Company holdings within the Project area to over 10,000 hectares. Terms for the Purchase Option are a purchase price of US$2 Million payable upon the commencement of construction of the Project, or the sale of the Project and/or Company. The Purchase Option is at arms- length for the Company.
Project Discussion Update
The Company is in discussions with several O.E.M., mining and financial groups for the funding and development of the HMN Li Project. The discussions announced in January of 2025 are still ongoing though the party noted is now out of the exclusivity period. While the market remains challenging, interest in the high quality HMN Li Project remains strong.
About Lithium South Development Corp.
Lithium South owns 100% of the HMN Li Project located in Salta and Catamarca Provinces, Argentina, in the heart of the lithium triangle. The Salar del Hombre Muerto has a history of lithium production, with Rio Tinto Lithium (Formerly Arcadium Lithium and recently purchased by Rio Tinto Corporation for US$6.7 billion in March 2025) in operation to the south of the HMN Li Project for over twenty-five years. The HMN Li Project is adjacent to the east with a U.S. billion-dollar lithium development by POSCO (Korea), now in lithium production. Exploration work to date has delineated a NI 43-101 compliant 1,583,200 tonne Lithium Carbonate Equivalent ("LCE") Resource at an average grade of 736 miligrams per liter lithium (mg/L Li ) , with 1,463,000 tonnes in the measured category and 120,000 tonnes in the indicated category, at a cutoff grade of 500 mg/l Li (Note 1 below) on the Alba Sabrina, Natalia Maria, and Tramo claim blocks, three of five non-contiguous blocks that make up the HMN Li Project (View Report: www.lithiumsouth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023-technical-report-NI43-101.pdf). A recent Preliminary Economic Assessment (Note 2 below) April 30, 2024, delineates potential to develop a 15,600 tonne per year lithium carbonate project. LIS is now moving the project forward to a Feasibility Study.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
Adrian F. C. Hobkirk
President and Chief Executive Officer
Investors / Shareholders call 855-415-8100 / website: www.lithiumsouth.com
The contents of this press release and the scientific information contained herein were reviewed by Mr. William Feyerabend, CPG, a Consulting Geologist and a Qualified Person under N.I. 43-101. Mr. Feyerabend participated in the writing of this press release and approves the content.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed the content of this news release and therefore does not accept responsibility or liability for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this news release.
Note 1: A report titled, Updated Mineral Resource Estimate – Hombre Muerto North Project, NI 43-101 Technical Report Catamarca and Salta, Argentina, Mark King, PhD, PGeo, Peter Ehren, M.Sc, MAusIMM, September 5th, 2023.
Note 2: The report titled, N.I. 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment Hombre Muerto North Lithium Project, Salta, Argentina, was completed by Knight Piesold Consulting and JDS Energy and Mining Inc., and on SEDAR April 30, 2024
This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the United States Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Company, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based upon opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward- looking statements. We seek safe harbor.
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SOURCE Lithium South Development Corporation
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