Critical Elements Lithium Corporation (TSX-V:CRE)(OTCQX:CRECF)(FSE:F12) ('Critical Elements' or the 'Corporation') is pleased to announce the results of a new Feasibility Study on the Rose Lithium-Tantalum project ('Rose' or the 'Project') in Eeyou Istchee James Bay, Quebec.
The management of Critical Elements, with its new highly qualified technical team led by Yves Perron as Vice President of Engineering, Construction and Operations, brings a deep level of knowledge and expertise to the engineering process (particularly in mining operations, process, environment, design, estimation and project control). This new study replaces the Feasibility Study announced by the Corporation on June 13, 2022. Noteworthy changes include: (i) the increased indexation of industrial construction prices, (ii) the addition of certain process equipment to increase operational reliability and (iii) the addition of the scope change of the Project by incorporating the construction of our own 500-worker camp 4 km from the mine site. The new camp has been added to reduce the execution risk and timeline as this is vital to having the workers' accommodation ready in time as we increase the speed of the construction phase. The new 500-room camp includes both temporary and permanent sections (approximately 250 rooms for each section).
Jean-Sebastien Lavallee, Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, said: 'We are very pleased to announce the results of the new Definitive Feasibility Study at Rose to provide the updated economics of the Project. The study reaffirms the substantial value of Rose - amongst the backdrop of higher input costs and the decision to build our own 500-worker camp - to establish Critical Elements as a reliable, high-quality supplier of lithium. Thank you to our engineers, management team and local stakeholders for their diligent efforts and our shareholders for their continuous support.'
Highlights
Expected 17-year mine life
Average production Year 2-17: 157,706 tonnes of chemical grade 5.56% spodumene concentrate
Average production Year 2-17: 46,059 tonnes of technical grade 6.16% spodumene concentrate
Average production Year 2-17: 580 tonnes of tantalum concentrate
Average operating costs: US$81,30 per tonne milled, US$587 per tonne of concentrate (all concentrate production combined)
Estimated initial capital cost: US$471 million (before working capital)
Average gross margin: 78.8%
After-tax NPV8% of US$2,195 million, after-tax IRR of 65.7%
Anticipated construction time: 21 months to start of production
Average price assumptions of US$4,699 per tonne technical grade lithium concentrate, US$2,162 per tonne chemical grade lithium concentrate and US$150 per kg tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5)
The Rose Lithium-Tantalum Project is 100%-owned by Critical Elements. The Corporation's market strategy is to enter the lithium market with a low-risk approach. The completion of the Feasibility Study on the spodumene plant is the first step to entering the market and establish the Corporation as a reliable high-quality lithium supplier. The low-risk approach is characterized by simple open-pit mining and conventional lithium processing technologies.
Critical Elements has consistently sought to advance the wholly-owned Rose Lithium-Tantalum Project in a low-risk manner. To this end, the Corporation has completed a new Feasibility Study with a conservative spodumene concentrate price deck, as well as capital and operating cost estimates reflective of current market conditions. The new Feasibility Study incorporates a standard truck and shovel open-pit mining operation and conventional lithium processing technologies. The Project will produce technical grade spodumene concentrate for the glass and ceramics industry and chemical grade spodumene concentrate for conversion for use in batteries for e-mobility, as well as a tantalite concentrate.
The mine will excavate a total of 26.3M tonnes ore grading an average of 0.87% Li2O and 138 ppm Ta2O5 after dilution. The mill will process 1.61M tonnes of ore per year to produce an annual average of 203,765 tonnes of technical and chemical grade spodumene concentrates and 580 tonnes of tantalite concentrates. The ore is contained in several parallel and continuous shallow dipping pegmatite dykes outcropping on surface. The ore zones are open at depth and a future underground operation is possible.
Over the life of mine, the open pit will excavate a total of 182.4M tonnes of waste rock and 10.9 M tonnes of overburden. The average strip ratio is 7.3 tonnes of waste per tonne of ore.
About Critical Elements Lithium Corporation
Critical Elements aspires to become a large, responsible supplier of lithium to the flourishing electric vehicle and energy storage system industries. To this end, Critical Elements is advancing the wholly-owned, high-purity Rose lithium project in Quebec, the Corporation's first lithium project to be advanced within a land portfolio of over 1,050 km2. On August 29, 2023, the Corporation announced results of a new Feasibility Study on Rose for the production of spodumene concentrate. The after-tax internal rate of return for the Project is estimated at 64.8%, with an estimated after-tax net present value of US$2.2B at an 8% discount rate. In the Corporation's view, Quebec is strategically well-positioned for US and EU markets and boasts good infrastructure including a low-cost, low-carbon power grid featuring 94% hydroelectricity. The project has received approval from the Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change on the recommendation of the Joint Assessment Committee, comprised of representatives from the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and the Cree Nation Government and also received the Certificate of Authorization pursuant to section 164 of Quebec's Environment Quality Act from the Quebec Minister of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks.
Contact:
Patrick Laperriere
Tel: 514-817-1119
Email: plaperriere@cecorp.ca
Cautionary statement concerning forward-looking statements
This news release contains 'forward-looking information' within the meaning of Canadian Securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as 'scheduled', 'anticipates', 'expects' or 'does not expect', 'is expected', 'scheduled', 'targeted', or 'believes', or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results 'may', 'could', 'would', 'might' or 'will be taken', 'occur' or 'be achieved'. Forward-looking information contained herein include, without limitation, statements relating to mineral reserve estimates, mineral resource estimates, realization of mineral reserve and resource estimates, capital and operating costs estimates, the timing and amount of future production, costs of production, success of mining operations, the ranking of the project in terms of cash cost and production, permitting, economic return estimates, power and storage facilities, life of mine, social, community and environmental impacts, lithium and tantalum markets and sales prices, off-take agreements and purchasers for the Corporation's products, environmental assessment and permitting, securing sufficient financing on acceptable terms, opportunities for short and long term optimization of the Project, and continued positive discussions and relationships with local communities and stakeholders. Forward-looking information is based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made.
Although Critical Elements has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from expected results described in forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: Critical Elements' ability to secure sufficient financing to advance and complete the Project, uncertainties associated with the Corporation's resource and reserve estimates, uncertainties regarding global supply and demand for lithium and tantalum and market and sales prices, inflation and its impact on the Project's capital and operating costs estimates, uncertainties associated with securing off-take agreements and customer contracts, uncertainties with respect to social, community and environmental impacts, uncertainties with respect to optimization opportunities for the Project, as well as those risk factors set out in the Corporation's year-end Management Discussion and Analysis for its most recent quarter ended May 31, 2023 and other disclosure documents available under the Corporation's SEDAR profile.
Forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this news releaseAlthough the Corporation has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws.
CRITICAL ELEMENTS LITHIUM CORPORATION 
