International Lithium Corp. Updates on Lepidico Arbitration Determination
International Lithium Corp. Updates on
Lepidico Arbitration Determination
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 29, 2025) - International Lithium Corp.
(TSXV: ILC) (OTCQB: ILHMF) (FSE: IAH) (the "Company" or "ILC") announces that on December 24,
2025, it received the arbitration determination for Lepidico's dispute with Jiangxi Jinhui Lithium Co., Ltd.
("Jinhui") in China. Lepidico Chemicals Namibia (Pty) Ltd ("Lepidico Namibia") was the party involved in
the arbitration. The dispute dates back to events prior to Lepidico's acquisition of TSXV-quoted Desert
Lion Energy Inc. in 2019.
ILC structured the deal announced on September 9, 2025, to buy Lepidico Mauritius as an option
precisely because it wanted to wait and see the outcome of the arbitration decision. Lepidico Mauritius
owns 80% of Lepidico Namibia, which, in turn, owns the entire Karibib Lithium, Rubidium and Cesium
project (the "Karibib Project").
The arbitration took place at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre ("SIAC") as provided for in
the contract between the parties. It is understood that the case was referred to arbitration at the direction
of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange ("SAFE"), a Chinese state body and regulator under
the People's Bank of China. The contract between the parties was under Ontario law. There were no
Canadians on the arbitration tribunal. A tribunal of three arbitrators was appointed. The presiding
arbitrator and a co-arbitrator were both Professors who are nationals of and resident in China; the
second co-arbitrator was a Singapore national. The arbitration determination was issued in Chinese,
with an English translation. This differs from the Singapore court system, where all proceedings and
judgments are conducted in English.
The outcome was unfavourable to Lepidico Namibia and resulted in a determination in favour of Jinhui.
ILC currently holds an option, is a secured creditor, and believes in the future of the Karibib Project. ILC's
board is considering various courses of action and expects to make further announcements in due
course.
About International Lithium Corp.
International Lithium Corp. has exploration activities in Ontario, Canada, with intentions to expand into
Southern Africa. It has projects at various stages, ranging from Definitive Feasibility Study at Rubicon in
Namibia (note that ILC currently has an option only and is treating this as historic information at this point
and not a current resource for ILC) to Preliminary Economic Assessment at Raleigh Lake to Pre-Drilling
at Wolf Ridge. The primary target metals in Canada are lithium, rubidium and copper. There are three
projects (two in Ontario and one in Ireland) in which ILC has sold its share, but where the Company
stands to receive future payments from either a resource milestone being achieved or from a Net
Smelter Royalty. In Namibia the Karibib project contains lithium, rubidium and cesium.
While the world's politicians remain divided on the future of the energy market's historic dependence on
oil and gas and on "Net Zero", there is in any scenario an ever-increasing and significant demand for
electricity driven by AI and data centres, and by a likely unstoppable momentum towards electric vehicles
and grid-scale electricity storage. All of these contribute to rising demand for lithium, copper, and other
metals. Rubidium is also a critical metal, strategic for high-precision clocks, space technology, and
improving the performance of certain types of solar panels. ILC has seen the politically driven,
increasingly urgent push by the USA, Canada, the EU, and other major economies to safeguard their
supplies of critical minerals and to become more self-sufficient. The Company's Canadian and Southern
African projects, which contain lithium, rubidium, cesium and copper, are strategic in this regard.
The Company's key mission for the next decade is to generate revenue for its shareholders from lithium
and other critical minerals while also contributing to the creation of a greener, cleaner planet and less
polluted cities.
This includes optimizing the value of ILC's existing projects in Canada as well as finding, exploring and
developing projects that have the potential to become world-class deposits. The Company announced
that it regards Southern Africa as a key strategic target market and, in addition to Namibia, it has
applied for and hopes to receive EPOs in Zimbabwe. The board hopes to make further announcements
on the portfolio developments over the next few weeks and months.
The Company's interests in various projects now consist of the following, and in addition, the Company
continues to seek other opportunities:
Name
Metal
Location
Stage
Area in Hectares
Current
Ownership
Percentage
Future
Ownership % if
options
exercised
and/or residual
interest
Operator or JV
Partner
Raleigh Lake
Lithium
Rubidium
Ontario
Dec 2023 : PEA
for Li completed
Apr 2023 Maiden
Resource
Estimates for Li
and Rb
32,900
100%
100%
ILC
Rubicon +
Helikon +
Exclusive
Prospecting
Licence
Lithium
Rubidium
Cesium
Karibib, Namibia
2021 : Feasibility
Study completed
for Li, Rb and Cs
under JORC
29,500
0 %
80%
Lepidico; ILC if
option exercised
Firesteel
Copper, Cobalt
Ontario
Initial Drilling
6,600
90%
90%
ILC
Wolf Ridge
Lithium
Ontario
Pre-Drilling
5,700
0%
100%
ILC
Mavis Lake
Lithium
Ontario
May 2023
Maiden Resource
Estimate
2,600
0%
0%
(carries an extra
earn-in payment
of AUD$ 0.75
million if
resource targets
met)
Critical
Resources
Limited
(ASX:CRR)
Avalonia
Lithium
Ireland
Drilling
29,200
0%
0%
2.0% Net
Smelter Royalty
GFL Intl Co Ltd.
(owned by
Ganfeng Lithium
Group Co. Ltd)
Forgan/
Lucky Lakes
Lithium
Ontario
Drilling
< 500
0%
0%
1.5% Net
Smelter Royalty
Power Minerals
Limited
(ASX:PNN)
The Company's primary strategic focus at this point is on the Raleigh Lake Project, comprising lithium
and rubidium, and the Firesteel copper project in Canada, as well as obtaining EPOs and mineral
claims in Zimbabwe. The Karibib projects in Namibia, including further development of the EPL there,
will be a high priority if ILC decides to remain involved.
The Raleigh Lake Project now encompasses 32,900 hectares (329 square kilometres) of mineral claims
in Ontario and represents ILC's most significant project in Canada. To date, drilling has occurred on less
than 1,000 hectares of the Company's claims. A Preliminary Economic Assessment was published for
ILC's lithium at Raleigh Lake in December 2023, with a detailed economic analysis of ILC's separate
rubidium resource still pending. Raleigh Lake is 100% owned by ILC, free from any encumbrances and
royalties. The Raleigh Lake Project boasts excellent access to roads, rail, and utilities.
A continuing goal has been to remain a well-funded, strategically run company that turns ILC's
aspirations into reality. Following the disposal of the Mariana project in Argentina in 2021, the Mavis
Lake project in Canada in 2022, and the Avalonia project in 2025, ILC has continued to generate
sufficient cash inflows to advance its exploration projects.
With increasing demand for high-tech rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles, energy storage,
and portable electronics, lithium has been dubbed "the new oil". It is a key part of a green, sustainable
economy. By positioning itself on projects with significant resource potential and solid strategic partners,
ILC aims to become a preferred lithium and critical minerals resource developer for investors and to
continue building value for its shareholders throughout the 2020s, the decade of battery metals.
On behalf of the Company,
John Wisbey
Chairman and CEO
www.internationallithium.ca
For further information concerning this news release, please contact
or
.
Neither 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 Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
Except for statements of historical fact, this news release or other releases contain certain "forward-
looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information or
forward-looking statements in this or other news releases may include: the timing of completion of any
offering and the amount to be raised, the likelihood or otherwise of the Company exercising its option
on Lepidico Mauritius, the outcome of arbitration and resulting actions and negotiations involving
Lepidico Namibia and its stakeholders, the effect of results of anticipated production rates, the timing
and/or anticipated results of drilling on the Raleigh Lake or Karibib or Firesteel or Wolf Ridge projects,
the expectation of resource estimates, preliminary economic assessments, feasibility studies, the
ability to renew mining licences or claims, lithium or rubidium or cesium or copper recoveries,
modeling of capital and operating costs, results of studies utilizing various technologies at the
company's projects, the Company's budgeted expenditures, future plans for expansion in Southern
Africa and planned exploration work on its projects, increased value of shareholder investments in the
Company, the potential from the Company's third party earn-out or royalty arrangements, the future
demand for lithium, rubidium, cesium and copper, and assumptions about ethical behaviour by our
joint venture partners or third party operators of projects or royalty partners. Such forward-looking
information is based on assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, including but
not limited to those discussed in the sections entitled "Risks" and "Forward-Looking Statements" in
the interim and annual Management's Discussion and Analysis which are available at
www.sedarplus.ca
. While management believes that the assumptions made are reasonable, there can
be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Should one or more of the
risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect,
actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking information. Forward-
looking information herein, and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based
on expectations, estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made that, while
considered reasonable by the Company as of the time of such statements, are subject to significant
business, economic, legislative, and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates
and assumptions may prove to be incorrect and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this
cautionary statement. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update
forward-looking information should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.
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https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/279116