Arena Minerals Inc. announced that brine processing at the Company's pilot facilities has successfully reached concentration levels of 35% lithium chloride in Phase I and II testing. The LiCl product was produced by treating raw brine from the Sal de la Puna lithium brine project, located in the Pastos Grandes basin, Salta, Argentina, with a calcium chloride reagent produced at the Company's 100% owned Antofalla project in Catamarca, Argentina (“Antofalla”). The treated brine was subsequently evaporated at the Company's on-site pilot facilities until the intended concentration levels were reached.

The LiCl product was attained by treating raw SDLP brine with calcium chloride reagents produced at the Company's Antofalla project. The reagent used contains >11% calcium, 1200 ppm Li, and less than 100 ppm Mg. Antofalla's reagent contributes lithium to the system that translates into additional lithium head feed with a very negligible magnesium contribution.

The metallurgical program is jointly designed and supervised by the Company and BarryMor Ingenieria consultants. All brine samples are sent to SGS Laboratories, Salta, Argentina, an independent and fully international accredited laboratory for analysis for lithium multi-element Induction Coupled Plasma Spectroscopy. Arena has a regimented Quality Assurance, Quality Control program where at least 10% duplicates, blanks and standards are inserted into each sample shipment.