Lithium in Somaliland: what we know, and what still needs proving

Hard-rock lithium is mined from pegmatites — coarse-grained granitic veins that, in the right setting, carry lithium minerals such as spodumene, lepidolite or petalite. Published geological overviews of Somaliland report pegmatites in the western Golis Range and between Berbera and the interior, and exploration interest in Somaliland lithium has grown since 2021. That is a reason to look, not evidence of a deposit.

Most pegmatite is barren. White or grey crystalline rock is far more often quartz, feldspar or marble than lithium ore, and lithium cannot be seen in a photo. Handheld XRF analysers, the usual field tool, cannot detect lithium at all. The only reliable answer comes from samples collected with a recorded chain of custody and analysed by an accredited laboratory — typically a sodium-peroxide fusion with ICP finish for lithium and associated elements, plus XRD to identify which lithium mineral is present.

That mineralogy matters as much as grade. Buyers price lithium on Li₂O content, benchmarked against a 6% spodumene concentrate, and pay very differently for spodumene and lepidolite feed. Iron, mica content and processing behaviour all move the price.

Before any serious buyer or partner engages, they will ask for the same things: independent assays they can trace to the ground, clear legal title to that ground under the Somaliland mining code, an export permit, and an honest estimate of size from a qualified geologist. Lab sheets supplied by a seller, with no sample locations and no accreditation, do not meet that bar.

Our approach is the same as for any commodity: screen leads through independent geologists and accredited labs, stop weak ones early, and only introduce partners or buyers once the evidence holds.