SIGMA Lithium Resources Corporation (“Sigma” or
the
“Company”) (TSXV: SGMA) (OTC-QB: SGMLF) is
pleased to announce that it intends to complete a non-brokered
private placement of up to 7,500,000 common shares of the Company
(“
Common Shares”) to be issued at a price of
C$4.00 per Common Share for aggregate gross proceeds of up to C$30
million (the “
Offering”). Institutional investors,
including leading global investors focused on ESG &
sustainability, are expected to comprise the majority of the
investors in the Offering. The closing of the Offering is subject
to customary conditions, including the receipt of all necessary
approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the
“
TSXV”).
XP Investments US LLC, Cormark Securities Inc.
and National Bank Financial Inc. acted as financial advisors to the
Company and may receive a finder’s fee in respect of certain
orders. This compensation will be comprised of (i) cash fees of up
to 6% of the proceeds from subscribers introduced by finders and
(ii) such number of warrants as is equal to up to 6% of the
Common Shares purchased by such introduced subscribers (each such
warrant entitling the finder to acquire one Common Share at an
exercise price of C$4.00 per share and exercisable for one year
after closing of the Offering). Other parties, including the A10
Group, shall also receive a finder’s fee in connection with the
Offering.
In this regard, the Company has entered into an
agreement with the A10 Group to provide services in respect of the
Offering, and A10 Group will be entitled to finder’s compensation
for purchases by subscribers it introduces.
The Company intends to use the net proceeds of
the Offering as outlined below and for general corporate purposes.
The expected specific uses of net proceeds are:
- To fund the workstreams added in
December 2020 aimed at upsizing the Grota do Cirilo lithium project
(the “Project”), solidifying Sigma’s unique market
leadership as a future supplier of “low-carbon” high-purity 6%
battery-grade lithium concentrate, as set out in the December 7,
2020 press release “Sigma is Awarded Development Bank Credit Line
on ESG Attributes and Reports Third Quarter Results”, under the
section “Operational and ESG Highlights”:
- Development of Phase 2 production
(the Barreiro deposit) planned for 2023: the preparation of a
pre-feasibility study (and subsequently a feasibility study) to
update the technical report of the Project titled “Grota do Cirilo
Lithium Project, Araçuaí and Itinga Regions, Minas Gerais, Brazil,
National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report on Feasibility Study
Final Report” with an effective date of September 16, 2019 (the
“Feasibility Study Report”) to include Phase 2 in
addition to Phase 1 (the development of the Xuxa deposit).
- Pre-development of Phase 3
production planned for 2024-2025: (i) a 20,000-meter diamond
drilling programme aimed at adding mineral resources in line with
National Instrument 43-101 criteria; and (ii) the preparation of a
preliminary economic assessment study, which is also to be used to
update the Feasibility Study Report.
- Funding an ongoing comprehensive
set of environmental and social programs established by the
Company, which aims to implement actions to proactively mitigate,
prevent, control and compensate for the environmental impacts that
could eventually be caused by the mining activity to be carried out
by Sigma. The Company designed these programs based on the
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – UN-SDGs.
- In order to enhance Sigma’s
financial flexibility during construction and increase the the
maximum amount that could be drawn under the Company’s project
finance facility with Société Générale (“Project
Finance”) from US$45 million to US$50 million, the Company
plans to direct US$5 million from the proceeds of the Offering to
its savings account at National Bank, adding to the US$10 million
currently reserved as the equity component of the Project Finance.
This would bring the total equity set aside by the Company for the
Project Finance to US$15 million. This follows the signing of a
term sheet for the Project Finance in June 2020
(June 29, 2020 press release “Sigma Announces US$45
Million Project Finance Facility with Societe Generale”).
Certain principals of the A10 Group are
directors, officers or indirect significant shareholders of the
Company, such that the arrangements with the A10 Group in respect
of the Offering is a related party transaction for purposes of
Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority
Securityholders in Special Transactions and Policy 5.9 of the TSXV
(which incorporates such Multilateral Instrument by reference).
These arrangements are exempt from the formal valuation and
minority shareholder approval requirements of such Multilateral
Instrument and TSXV Policy because the value of the transaction and
the compensation are below 25% of the Company’s market
capitalization. The arrangements with the A10 Group were considered
and unanimously approved by each of the directors of the Company
unrelated to the A10 Group.
The Common Shares to be issued under the
Offering will also be sold to United States buyers on a private
placement basis pursuant to an exemption from the registration
requirements in Rule 144A of the United States Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and other
jurisdictions outside of Canada provided that no
prospectus filing, or comparable obligation arises.
The Offering is scheduled to close on or
about February 10, 2021 and is subject to certain
conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all
necessary approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture
Exchange and the securities regulatory authorities.
This press release shall not constitute an offer
to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be
any sale of the securities in any state in which such offer,
solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities being
offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the 1933
Act and may not be offered or sold in the United
States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the
registration requirements of the 1933 Act, as amended, and the
application of state securities laws.
This news release does not constitute an offer
to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be
any sale of Common Shares under the Offering, in any jurisdiction
in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.
ABOUT SIGMA LITHIUM
Sigma is a Canadian company that has been
producing environmentally sustainable battery-grade lithium
concentrate on a pilot scale since 2018 and shipping high-purity
“green & sustainable” 6% Li2O battery-grade lithium concentrate
samples to some of the leading global cathode and battery producers
of electric vehicles. The company is in pre-construction (including
the EPC and “contract-readiness” of core construction suppliers) of
its larger-scale lithium concentration commercial production plant.
Based on the Feasibility Study Report, it will contemplate a
capacity to produce at the rate of 220,000 tonnes annually of
battery-grade “green” lithium concentrate and Sigma will be amongst
the lowest-cost producers of lithium concentrate globally. The
Feasibility Study Report is being updated to include the
development of the Project’s second deposit, contemplating
production at the rate of 440,000 tonnes per annum (Phase 2 of the
Project).
To secure a leading position supplying the clean
mobility and green energy storage value chain, Sigma has adhered to
the highest standards of environmental practices in line with its
core values and mission since starting activities in 2012. Sigma’s
production process is powered by hydroelectricity and the Company
utilizes state-of the-art dry-stacking tailings management and
water-recycling techniques in its beneficiation process. Its
corporate mission is to execute its strategy while embracing strict
ESG principles. Sigma’s shareholders include some of the largest
ESG-focused institutional investors in the world.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE
CONTACT
Sigma Lithium Resources Corporationwww.sigmalithiumresources.com
Company Contact: Anna HartleyDirector of Investor Relations(London)
+44 7866 458 093anna.hartley@sigmaca.com
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release includes certain
"forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities
legislation, including statements relating to the closing of the
Offering, expected use of net proceeds and TSXV approval.
Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of
estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are
subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other
factors which may cause the actual results and future events to
differ materially from those expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. All statements that address future
plans, activities, events, or developments that the Company
believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur are
forward-looking information, including statements regarding the
potential development of resources and drilling plans which may or
may not occur. Forward-looking statements and information contained
herein are based on certain factors and assumptions regarding,
among other things, receipt of all necessary approvals to complete
the Offering, the market price of the Company's securities, metal
prices, exchange rates, taxation, the estimation, timing and amount
of future exploration and development, capital and operating costs,
the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals,
environmental risks, title disputes, litigation risks, failure of
plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, accidents,
labour disputes, claims and limitations on insurance coverage and
other risks of the mining industry, changes in national and local
government regulation of mining operations, and regulations and
other matters including the COVID-19 pandemic. There can be no
assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual
results and future events could differ materially from those
anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not
place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company
disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise, except as required by law. For more
information on the risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could
cause our actual results to differ from current expectations,
please refer to our public filings available at www.sedar.com.
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 news release.
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