Gratomic Inc. (“GRAT” or the “Company”) (TSXV:GRAT)(FSE:CB81)(WKN:A143MR)(OTCQB:CBULF) is pleased to announce that it has applied to trade its graphite product M97 on a technology metals trading platform that will provide global institutional liquidity in a number of US proclaimed critical metals products including graphite. Product M97 is a grade of graphite that Gratomic is developing and testing as a suitable product for battery grade graphite. The metals exchange, which must remain unnamed until its own launch in the first quarter of 2021, has impeccable corporate governance, and regulatory credentials. The metals exchange is headquartered in the UK and boasts strategic support from a leading globally known securities trading platform. That company provides full security to the underlying stock, in the manner of other international commodities exchanges.
Gratomic has been developing Product M97 from Graphite process in its pilot plant at its Aukam Property and its analysis to date indicates that the grade of graphite can be obtained once its Aukam processing plant is operating. Product M97 will not be listed for trading until the metals exchange is satisfied with the specifications of the product, has accepted Product M97 for trading and sufficient quantities of the product are available for trading.
“In the history of mining or commodity trading, commodities have almost always excelled in their availability for institutional buying on both Wall Street and Bay Street. This step to ultimately institutionalize graphite as a commodity demonstrates the Gratomic team’s ingenuity and advanced thinking,” commented Arno Brand, President & CEO of Gratomic Inc.
“Being ahead of the competition on all aspects of the business is in the DNA of the Gratomic team. Having graphite traded in a similar manner to copper and gold will give our shareholders more transparency about commercial processes. Our unique carbon coded, environmentally friendly graphite is intended to add a brand-new, clean commodity class to the graphite marketplace.” commented COO & Head of Graphite Marketing and Sales, Armando Farhate.
Gratomic wishes to emphasize that no Preliminary Economic Analysis (“PEA”), Preliminary Feasibility Study or Feasibility Study has been completed to support any level of production. In fact no mineral resources, let alone mineral reserves demonstrating economic viability and technical feasibility, have been delineated on the Aukam Property.
The Company appointed Dr. Ian Flint to complete a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) on the Aukam Processing plant. The study, its recommendations, and their subsequent implementation, will provide conclusions and recommendation at a PEA level of comfort relating to the scale up of the existing processing plant to a commercial scale processing facility that will provide the desired concentrate grades and production rates. A preliminary economic assessment is preliminary in nature, it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the preliminary economic assessment will be realized.
Gratomic wishes to emphasize that the supply of graphite to trade on the metals exchange referred to in this Press Release is conditional on Gratomic being able to bring the Aukam project into a production phase, and for any graphite being produced to meet certain technical and mineralization requirements. Gratomic continues to move its business towards production and as part of its business plan, expects to obtain a National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects technical report to help it ascertain the economics of the Aukam project.
Risk Factors
No mineral resources, let alone mineral reserves demonstrating economic viability and technical feasibility, have been delineated on the Aukam Property. The Company is not in a position to demonstrate or disclose any capital and/or operating costs that may be associated with the processing plant.
The Company advises that it has not based its production decision on even the existence of mineral resources let alone on a feasibility study of mineral reserves, demonstrating economic and technical viability, and, as a result, there may be an increased uncertainty of achieving any particular level of recovery of minerals or the cost of such recovery, including increased risks associated with developing a commercially mineable deposit.
Historically, such projects have a much higher risk of economic and technical failure. There is no guarantee that production will begin as anticipated or at all or that anticipated production costs will be achieved.
Failure to commence production would have a material adverse impact on the Company’s ability to generate revenue and cash flow to fund operations. Failure to achieve the anticipated production costs would have a material adverse impact on the Company’s cash flow and future profitability.
About Gratomic Inc.
Established in 2014, Gratomic is an advanced materials company focused on low-cost mine to market commercialization of carbon-neutral, Eco-friendly, high purity vein graphite and is set to become a key player in EV and Renewable Resource supply chains. Gratomic Inc. is a leader among peers, anticipating full operational capabilities in late 2020 and aiming to transition to an open pit operation as early as the end of 2021.
Gratomic is in the process of solidifying its development plans for micronization and spheronization of its clean Aukam graphite. This significant milestone is a small, additional step in the Company’s existing Eco-friendly processing cycle and will allow its naturally high purity graphite to meet ideal North American battery grade standards for use in Li-ion battery anodes.
The Company promises to deliver mine-to-market traceability and guaranteed quality control. This will be accomplished by providing documented tracking on all graphite generated at its flagship Aukam Graphite Project. The tracking will begin at Aukam and will be verified at every stage during transport.
Two off-take purchase agreements are currently held for lump-vein graphite sourced from Gratomic’s Aukam Graphite Project in Namibia, Africa. Fulfillment of the contracts is slated to begin in 2021. The agreements exist with TODAQ and Phu Sumika.
TODAQ is an innovative tech company and will partner with Gratomic on its mine-to-market commodity tracking.
Phu Sumika is a large global graphite supplier to battery and lubrication companies.
Gratomic Inc. is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol GRAT.
For more information: visit the website at www.gratomic.ca or contact:
Arno Brand
[email protected]
(416) 561-4095
