Business
Sodium-Carbonate–Rich Brines Identified at Sua Pan
Aterian PLC has announced the discovery of sodium-carbonate-rich brines at its Sua Pan Brine Project in Botswana, with Total Dissolved Solids up to 106,400 mg/L and sodium concentrations reaching 63,250 mg/L. This finding indicates a potential industrial minerals development pathway for soda ash, a key component in glass, detergents, and chemical processing, offering a potentially value-accretive opportunity independent of critical mineral outcomes. The company plans further evaluation to assess the soda ash development potential and strategic options for the project. Disclaimer*
About this update from Aterian Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n4 February 2026\n \nAterian plc\n(\"Aterian\" or the \"Company\" or the \"Group\")\n \nSodium-Carbonate-Rich Brines Identified at Sua Pan, Botswana\n \nAterian plc (AIM: ATN), the Africa-focused critical metals exploration and development company, provides an update on the early-stage groundwater reconnaissance and sampling programme recently completed at its Sua Pan Brine Project (\"the Project\") in the Republic of Botswana (\"Botswana\"), operated through its wholly owned subsidiary Atlantis Metals Ltd (\"Atlantis\"), together with the laboratory results.\n \nThe programme has confirmed the presence of highly saline, alkaline, sodium-rich brines across the licence area, specifically identifying a sodium-carbonate-dominant brine system consistent with natural soda ash-style deposits. These results introduce a potentially attractive industrial minerals development pathway, alongside continued evaluation of the basin for various critical minerals.\n \nHighlights\n· Reconnaissance sampling confirms extensive, highly saline and alkaline near-surface brines across the Project.\n· Total Dissolved Solids (\"TDS\") up to ~106,400 mg/L recorded, demonstrating strong evaporitic brine concentration and favourable brine maturity.\n· Strong sodium-carbonate chemistry identified, including:\no Sodium up to ~63,250 mg/L\no Very high alkalinity (up to ~22,577 mg/L as CaCO₃)\n· Very low calcium and magnesium in the most saline brines, favourable for soda-type systems.\n· Brine chemistry consistent with soda ash style systems (sodium-carbonate-dominant) exploited for industrial sodium carbonate production.\n· Results introduce a potentially value-accretive industrial minerals opportunity, independent of lithium or other critical mineral outcomes.\n· Distinct hydrochemical groupings identified, providing a clear technical basis for development-oriented follow-up work.\n \nWhile the results are early-stage and reconnaissance in nature, the identification of highly alkaline, sodium-rich brines is significant. Soda ash is a globally important industrial mineral used in glass manufacturing, deterge...