Rain City Resources Inc. announced on Monday, September 15, 2026, that its Chilean subsidiary entered into a Scientific and Technological Evaluation Agreement with Quiborax S.A., a Chilean mining and chemical company. The agreement provides a framework to assess Rain City’s AC²ME extraction and processing technology using Quiborax’s materials and process streams at the El Águila project in Chile’s Arica and Parinacota Region.
Quiborax recently received regulatory approval under Chile’s CEOL framework, a mandatory state authorization required to explore and mine lithium, which has been designated a strategic mineral since 1979. The approval allows Quiborax to build processing infrastructure to recover lithium from historic tailings at the El Águila plant.
Studies referenced in the CEOL process indicate approximately 19,775 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent are contained in the historical processing residues at El Águila, with a maximum authorized amount of up to 20,000 tonnes for processing and sale. The CEOL authorization expires on December 31, 2046, whichever occurs first between reaching the tonnage cap or that date. Benjamin Hill, Chief Executive Officer of Rain City Resources, said the agreement offers "a combination we consider particularly valuable: An experienced operator, existing infrastructure, an identified lithium opportunity and substantial regulatory progress." The current agreement is not a commercial production agreement or joint venture; further agreements covering testing, pilot or commercial facilities, technology licensing, mineral recovery, investment or financing may be negotiated later if technical results justify it.
