Lithium Ionic Appoints Chief Operating Officer to Advance the Development of the Bandeira Lithium Project, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Lithium Ionic Appoints Chief Operating Officer to Advance the Development of
the Bandeira Lithium Project, Minas Gerais, Brazil
TORONTO, ON, December 4, 2023 – Lithium Ionic Corp. (TSXV: LTH; OTCQX: LTHCF; FSE:
H3N) (“Lithium Ionic” or the “Company ”) is pleased to announce the appointment of mining
veteran, Mr. Paulo Guimarães Misk, as Chief Operating Officer to lead the development of the
Bandeira Lithium Project (“Bandeira” or the “Project”), in Minas Gerais State, Brazil.
Mr. Misk is a Brazilian-based mining engineer with over 38 years of in-country experience in the
operational management of several multinational mining companies across a diverse range of
commodities, including lithium. As an industry leader, Mr. Misk will strengthen the Company’s
executive team and its technical and operational capabilities as it quickly accelerates the Bandeira
project.
Blake Hylands, P.Geo., CEO of Lithium Ionic, commented, "Paulo has demonstrated outstanding
leadership in building and transforming operations at his previous roles at Largo, Anglo American
and AMG, and we are delighted to welcome him to our leadership team as we enter the next
phase of development for Bandeira. He is a seasoned industry leader who has spent his entire
career successfully developing and optimizing mining projects in Brazil, and we are confident that
his technical, strategic, and operational experience will greatly complement the team we already
have in place as we continue to advance our projects with the aim of becoming Brazil’s next major
lithium producer.”
Paulo Guimarães Misk, Lithium Ionic’s incoming COO, commented, “I am thrilled to be part of the
Lithium Ionic team and excited about the opportunity to contribute to the next chapter of the
Company’s success on a lithium project that I believe is one of the most promising in Brazil. I look
forward to working with a ver y talented mining team to deliver on the goal of becoming an
important player in the global EV and battery supply chains.”
Prior to joining Lithium Ionic, Paulo held several executive and operational roles at Largo Inc.
between 2014-2023, including President and COO, and most recently CEO and board member.
During his tenure, he led the production commissioning and operations of its Maracás Menchen
Mine and led several expansion and optimization projects, including the implementation of the
company’s battery business. Under his leadership, Largo experienced a dramatic turnaround,
becoming a profitable and globally significant vanadium supplier.
Prior to Largo, Paulo spent four years at Anglo American running the Catalão Project as Head of
Niobium and Phosphate Operations, managing a team of 4,000 people at five sites. During his
tenure, he implemented innovative policies and fostered a high-performance culture that greatly
improved the profitability of the operation.
Mr. Misk also has 10 cumulative years of experience at AMG, a global leader in the supply of
critical materials, where he most recently served as Operational Director . Here he was
responsible for the Tantalum and Niobium division and overall mining activities in Brazil, including
the development of its Mibra lithium mine located in Minas Gerais State.
In 2019, Mr. Misk was named Brazil Mineral Magazine’s mining personalit y of the year in the
Ferrous Minerals category for his role in the positive transformation of Largo’s vanadium mine,
and more recently in 2022, he was the recipient of CBPM (“Companhia Baiana de Pesquisa
Mineral”) mining personality of the year award in recognition for his positive contributions to the
mining sector of Bahia State.
Mr. Misk obtained his Mining Engineering degree from UFMG ( Universidade Federal de Minas
Gerais), as well as a post-graduate degree in Economic Engineering from Fundação Dom Cabral
(FDC). He also has an MBA in Business Management from FGV/OHIO University.
Option Grant
The Company also announces that Mr. Mis k has been awarded 150,000 stock options (the
"Options") to purchase common shares of the Company pursuant to the Company's Stock Option
Plan. The Options are exercisable to purchase common shares of the Company at an exercise
price of $1.60 per common share for a period of five years expiring on December 1, 2028. The
grant of Options is subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.
About Lithium Ionic Corp.
Lithium Ionic is a Canadian mining company exploring and developing its lithium properties in
Brazil. Its Itinga and Salinas group of properties cover 14,182 hectares in the northeastern part of
Minas Gerais state, a mining-friendly jurisdiction that is quickly emerging as a world -class hard-
rock lithium district. Its Feasibility-stage Bandeira Project is situated in the same region as CBL’s
Cachoeira lithium mine, which has produced lithium for +30 years, as well as Sigma Lithium
Corp.’s Grota do Cirilo project, which hosts the largest hard-rock lithium deposit in the Americas.
Qualified Persons
The technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Carlos Costa,
Vice President Exploration of Lithium Ionic and Blake Hylands, CEO and director of Lithium Ionic,
who are both “qualified persons” as defined in NI 43-101.
Investor and Media Inquiries:
+1 647.316.2500
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that constitute “forward -statements.” Such forward
looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may
cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements, or devel opments to differ
materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by
such forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of its
officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that
have been considered appropriate that the expectations reflected in this forward -looking
information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company
can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. When used in this press release, the
words “estimate”, “project”, “belief”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “expect”, “plan”, “predict”, “may” or
“should” and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology
are intended to identify forward -looking statements and information. The forward -looking
statements and information in this press release include information relating to the prospectivity
of the Company’s mineral propertie s, the economic viability of the Bandeira, the mineralization
and development of the Company’s mineral properties, the impact of management changes, the
Option grant and the Company’s future plans. Such statements and information reflect the current
view of the Company. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially
from those contemplated in those forward -looking statements and information. By their nature,
forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be
materially different from any future results, perf ormance or achievements expressed or implied
by such forward -looking statements. The forward -looking information contained in this news
release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and,
accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on
forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. The
Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that
management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.
Information and links in this press release relating to other mineral resource companies are from
their sources believed to be reliable, but that have not been independently verified by the
Company.
Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the
policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press
release.