LPI’s Consolidation of 100% of the Maricunga Project to Complete Imminently
17 Dezember 2022 - 2:03AM
Lithium Power International Limited (
ASX: LPI)
(“
LPI” or the “
Company”) provides
an update on the consolidation of 100% ownership of LPI’s flagship
Maricunga lithium brine project in Chile
(“
Maricunga” or the “
Project”).
As announced on 22 June 2022, the company
entered into definitive binding agreements to consolidate ownership
of Maricunga via two all scrip mergers with its joint venture
partners Minera Salar Blanco SpA (“MSB SpA” and
33.31% interest) and Bearing Lithium Corp.
(BRZ:TSXV) (“Bearing” and 17.14%
interest) (individually the “Transaction” or
together the “Transactions”).
MSB SpA has now contributed its 31.31% interest
in Maricunga to Delaware company, Salar Blanco, LLC
(“SBD”), a wholly owned subsidiary of MSB SpA. The
second court hearing for the scheme with SBD has now been
conducted, and the court has approved the scheme. LPI is
progressing to complete the merger with SBD to consolidate MSB
SpA’s 31.31% interest in Maricunga (“SBD
Transaction”).
The transaction with Bearing for its 17.14%
interest will be completed by way of a Canadian Plan of Arrangement
(“Bearing Transaction”), which has been approved
by Bearing Shareholders and the Canadian court. The final condition
to the Bearing Transaction is the completion of the SBD
Transaction. Now that the court has approved the scheme for the SBD
Transaction, the completion process for the Bearing Transaction
will commence. It is expected this will complete by 22 December,
resulting in LPI taking ownership of 100% of Maricunga.
Lithium Power’s Chairman,
David Hannon, said:
“We are extremely pleased to be within reach of
consolidating the ownership of Maricunga lithium brine project.
This was a very logical and advantageous transaction for LPI
shareholders. Assuming full control of the project creates a strong
platform for LPI to fund and develop the project and will deliver
accretive value to shareholders. We welcome Mr Borda and the
Bearing shareholders to the LPI register and look forward to their
direct involvement.”
Advisors
Treadstone Resource Partners acted as strategic
and financial advisor to LPI in the transactions. Ashurst acted as
the Australian legal advisor, Stikeman Elliott LLP acted as the
Canadian legal advisor, and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman acted
as the US legal advisor to LPI. EY acted as the Australian, US and
Canadian tax advisor to LPI.
Maricunga Lithium Brine
Project
The Maricunga Project is located 170km
north-east of Copiapó in Salar de Maricunga in the Atacama Region
of northern Chile. In January 2022, LPI announced the results of
its updated Definitive Feasibility Study (“DFS”)
for the Stage One Maricunga Lithium Brine Project1, which supports
15,200 t/a production of battery grade lithium carbonate for 20
years. The DFS provides for a project NPV (leveraged basis) of
US$1.4B (after tax) at an 8% discount rate, providing an IRR of
39.6%, a 2-year payback and estimated steady-state annual EBITDA of
US$324 million.
The study confirmed that Maricunga could be one
of the world’s lowest-cost producers of lithium carbonate, with an
operating cost of US$3,718 per tonne not including revenue credits
from a potassium chloride by-product. The project will have an
exceptional ESG profile, aiming to achieving carbon neutrality once
the operation beds down, setting new standards for social
relationships.
Authorised for release by the Board of Directors
of Lithium Power International Limited.
1 Refer to the Company's ASX announcement entitled
‘Maricunga Stage One DFS delivers an after tax NPV of US$1.4B’
dated 20 January 2022. The Company confirms that all material
assumptions underpinning the production targets, and the forecast
financial information derived from such production targets, in this
Announcement, continue to apply and have not materially
changed.
For further information, please
contact:
Cristobal Garcia-Huidobro – CEO; or Andrew
Phillips – CFO Lithium Power InternationalE:
info@lithiumpowerinternational.com Ph: +612 9276
1245www.lithiumpowerinternational.com@LithiumPowerLPI
Jane Morgan – Investor and Media
Relations + 61 (0) 405 555
618jm@janemorganmanagement.com.au
For U.S. and other international investor
relations enquiries:
Arrowhead Business and Investment
Decisions, LLC Thomas Renaud | Managing Director 42
Broadway, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 Office: +1 212
619-6889enquire@arrowheadbid.com
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