Bearing Lithium Corp. ("
Bearing" or the
"
Company") (TSX Venture: BRZ) (OTCQB: BLILF)
(FRANKFURT: B6K2) announces that the joint venture company, Minera
Salar Blanco S.A. (“MSB”), has entered into a non-binding
Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with the Chilean State-owned
mining company, CODELCO. The MOU will define terms for the
negotiation of a definitive agreement to form a new joint venture
allowing for the development of the Maricunga Salar into a
significant lithium brine producer.
Terms and details of the definitive agreement
will be finalized in coming months. The agreement will be subject
to mutual due diligence, detailed documentation, the establishment
of a “NewCo” under Chilean corporate law and the finalization of a
“NewCo” Shareholders Agreement, among other conditions.
The Maricunga Project is wholly owned and
operated by the joint-venture company, Minera Salar Blanco (“MSB”)
and Bearing holds an 18% interest in MSB along with Minera Salar
Blanco SpA at 31% and Lithium Power International at 51%.
Minera Salar Blanco’s Chief Executive
Officer, Cristobal Garcia-Huidobro, commented:
“The Company is extremely pleased to reach this
MOU with CODELCO, following significant negotiations. The objective
of the MOU is to define the terms for a definitive agreement to
develop a joint project in the Maricunga Salar under a
public-private alliance model, which would allow it to become the
third lithium producer in Chile.
“This JV would allow for a very robust and
scalable project, and would also fast-track the Maricunga
development, including provision of all the necessary permits. It
would include CODELCO's key CEOL contract and the Nuclear
Commission permit covering the entire salar, which would complement
the expected approval of MSB's EIA before year-end. This means
there would be greater certainty regarding the permitting of the
project.
“Consolidation of the mining concessions would
include an option to increase production capacity and/or extend the
life of the mine beyond its expected 20-year span, therefore
creating additional value for all shareholders.
“Focus will now be on the finalization of the
environmental approval process (EIA) and ongoing negotiations with
potential financing and strategic partners. The aim is for initial
construction to commence during the first half of 2020, after the
finalization of the terms of the definitive JV agreement."
Bearing Lithium’s Chief Executive
Officer, Jeremy Poirier, commented:
“We are excited to have reached this MOU with
CODELCO for advancing the Maricunga project forward. The Maricunga
project represents one of the most advanced development-stage
lithium brine project in Chile and we are confident that this will
be the next project to be built in Chile.”
About MSB
MSB’s Maricunga lithium brine project is Chile’s
highest grade, and most advanced lithium project outside the Salar
de Atacama. A January 2019 Feasibility Study (FS) outlined annual
production of 20,000 tonnes per annum of lithium carbonate
equivalent (LCE) over 20-years with a pre-tax NPV of US$1.302
billion (c.f. Definitive Feasibility Study of MSB Blanco Lithium
Carbonate Project filed on SEDAR on January 22, 2019). MSB
submitted its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in September
2018. The EIA is currently in its final stage of the evaluation
process, with approval expected before year’s end.
About CODELCO
CODELCO is Chile’s state-owned copper mining
company and is one of the largest copper producers in the world,
with revenues of US$14.3 billion in 2018. During its 46 years of
operation, it has produced more than 59 million tons of copper and
it currently has close to 18,000 employees.
About Bearing Lithium Corp.
Bearing Lithium Corp. is a lithium-focused
mineral exploration and development company. Its primary asset is
an 18% interest in the Maricunga Lithium Brine Project in Chile.
The Maricunga Project represents one of the highest-grade lithium
brine salars globally and the only pre-production project in Chile.
Over US$30 million has been invested in the Maricunga Project to
date and all expenditures through to the delivery of a Definitive
Feasibility Study have been fully-funded by the earn-in
joint-venture partner.
Rob Cameron, P.Geo., who is a technical
consultant to the Company and is a qualified person within the
context of National Instrument 43-101, has read and takes
responsibility for this news release.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Signed "Jeremy Poirier" Jeremy Poirier, President and CEO
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Jeremy Poirier--
President and CEO Bearing Lithium - Telephone: 1-604-262-8835
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Information
This press release includes certain
"forward-looking information” and "forward-looking statements”
(collectively "forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of
applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation
including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical
fact, included herein, without limitation, statements relating the
future operating or financial performance of the Company, are
forward-looking statements.
The words "expect", "target", "estimate", "may",
"will" and other similar expressions identify forward-looking
statements. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other
things, the Company’s ability to reach a definitive agreement with
CODELCO, and the future prospects of the Maricunga Project.
Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors which are beyond Bearing’s ability
to predict or control and may cause Bearing’s actual results,
performance or achievements to be materially different from any of
its future results, performance or achievements expressed or
implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks,
uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to,
strategic, legal, planning and other risks, the impact of changes
in, or to the enforcement of, laws, regulations and government
practices, potential defects in title to the Maricunga Project that
are not known as of the date hereof, the occurrence of unexpected
financial obligations, fluctuations in the price of lithium and
other commodities, fluctuations in the currency markets, changes in
national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls,
regulations and political or economic developments, risks and
hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration,
development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial
accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins
and flooding), risks related to operational matters and
geotechnical issues, the success of future exploration and
development activities, the occurrence of any labour unrest, the
ability to accurately predict decommissioning and reclamation
costs, the risk of budget and timing overruns, potential opposition
to the Maricunga Project by local communities and the ability to
secure construction financing. Such forward-looking statements are
also based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be
incorrect including changes in Maricunga Project parameters as
plans continue to be evaluated as well as those factors disclosed
in the Company's documents filed from time to time with the
securities regulators in the Provinces of British Columbia and
Alberta. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements. Bearing undertakes no obligation to
update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements
contained herein whether as a result of new information or future
events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.
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