Nouveau Monde Graphite Reviews a Year of Success and Announces 2018 Objectives Symbol: NOU (TSX Venture), OTCQX: Nmgrf, Frankfurt: NM9
NOUVEAU MONDE GRAPHITE REVIEWS A YEAR OF SUCCESS AND ANNOUNCES
2018 OBJECTIVES
Symbol: NOU (TSX Venture), OTCQX: NMGRF, Frankfurt: NM9
January 24rd, 2018 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saint-Michel-des-Saints, QUEBEC — In 2017, Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc. (“Nouveau
Monde”) (TSX-V : NOU) achieved important milestones in the development of its graphite
project. The main achievements were the publication of an updated resource estimate, a
pre-feasibility study for the West Zone of its Matawinie property, the completion of a
detailed engineering study related to the construction of its demonstration plant, as well
as the addition of several key professionals to its team and to its board of directors.
• December 2017: completion of a detailed engineering study, obtaining of permits
and authorizations and of the required financing for the development of the Phase
1 demonstration graphite plant. In addition, in November 2017, Nouveau Monde
signed a short-term lease with Louisiana Pacific, the owner of the building where
the demonstration plant is expected to be built (see press release dated December
4, 2017).
• November 2017, announcement of the results of a pre-feasibility study with a pre-
tax NPV of $498.7 million and an IRR of 32.4% for the West Zone of the Tony claim
block, part of the Matawinie graphite property (see press release dated October
25, 2017).
• July 2017, announce ment of the extension of the graphite mineralization in the
West Zone of the Matawinie property 165 m to the south, in the recent expansion
of two of Nouveau Monde’s claims for a total of 18 additional hectares (see press
release dated July 5, 2017).
• June 2017, ope ning of the head office on the main street in Saint -Michel-des-
Saints and in November 2017, holding of a public meeting on Nouveau Monde’s
project in Saint-Michel-des-Saints. More than 185 people participated in the event
and visited the various booths and talked to the company’s experts (read the
report www.nouveaumonde.ca).
• April 2017, publishing of the results of a metallurgy optimization program aimed
at refining the process flow. One of the highlights of the optimization program was
the overall recovery rate of 97.4% at a combined concentrate content of 97.3%
total carbon ("Ct") in closed-loop tests by improving the distribution of flake size.
In addition, flotation tests of the variability of the western zone confirmed the
homogeneity of the mineralization. The tests showed a standard deviation of only
1% Ct in concentrate for the entire deposit ( see press release dated April 11,
2017).
• March 2017, announcement of the results of an updated pit-constrained Mineral
Resource Estimate concerning the West Zone Deposit, located on the Tony claim
Block, part of its Matawinie graphite Property . The drill program essentially
enabled Nouveau Monde to move 100% of the inferred resource into the
indicated resource category (see press release dated March 2, 2017).
• January 2017, adding of six new directors to Nouveau Monde’s board of directors
(see press release dated January 18, 2017). In addition, in 2017, Nouveau Monde
hired former leaders of Imerys Graphite & Carbon and SGL Carbon, including Mr.
Karl Trudeau as Chief Operation Officer (see press releases dated January 26, 2017
and July 11, 2017).
OBJECTIVES FOR 2018
In 2018, the focus will be to complete the feasibility study on the West Zone of the Tony
block of the Matawinie graphite property. Concurrently, the Phase 1 demonstration plant
will be commissioned, and operation will allow to begin selling graphite products to the
industrial graphite market. The more specific objectives are as follows:
• To file, in the fall, a feasibility study as well as an environmental and social impact
study on its graphite mining project;
• As a result of the extension of the property, to update the West Zone graphite
resource during the first quarter of 2018 by integrating the fall of 2017 and winter
2018 drilling and trenching results;
• To start p roducing graphite concentrate in its demonstration plant during the
summer of 2018 and to significantly advance the value-added product
development and manufacturing which includes purified graphite concentrate,
expandable graphite, spherical graphite, anode material and graphene based
products;
• To continue the discussions with strategic partners and key players of the lithium-
ion battery market, including users of value -added graphite products, as well as
research and development centers related to graphite and lithium-ion batteries;
• To continue to attract the best in class human resources to develop the Matawinie
project;
• To maintain the dialogue with stakeholders in order to put in place a project that
multiplies the benefits for the host community while targeting a low
environmental footprint;
• To remain an exemplary project in term of relation with indigenous peoples and a
vector of pride for the Atikamekw Nation by increasing their involvement in every
step of the development of the Matawinie project.
“The year 2018 will be pivotal for Nouveau Monde as we will begin marketing our graphite
flakes from our Demo Plant,” explains Eric Desaulniers President and CEO of Nouveau
Monde Graphite. “To this end, we have already completed the stripping of the rock for the
extraction of the first 40 000 t and we have started receiving the necessary equipment for
the manufacturing process.”
About Nouveau Monde Graphite
In 2015, Nouveau Monde discovered a graphite deposit on its Tony claims block, part of
its fully owned Matawanie graphite property. This discovery recently gave rise to the
publication of results from a Prefeasibility Study (PFS), released on October 25, 2017 by
Nouveau Monde. This PFS demonstrated strong economics with a planned production of
52,000 tpy o f high purity flake graphite concentrate, and a mine life of 27 years. The
Probable Mineral Reserves, identified over the West Zone of the Tony Block totals 33.0
Mt grading 4.39 % Cg. These Reserves are prepared in accordance with Canadian Institute
of Min ing, Metallurgy and Petroleum Definitions Standards for mineral resources in
concordance with National Instrument 43 -101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral
Projects (« 43-101 »). The Matawinie graphite project is located in the municipality of
Saint-Michel-des-Saints, approximately 150 km north of Montreal. It benefits from direct
access to a workforce and the appropriate infrastructure to operate, including abundant
and renewable hydroelectric resources. Nouveau Monde’s team members are developing
this project with the outmost respect for the neighboring communities, while targeting a
low environmental impact footprint.
The technical information in this news release was prepared by Eric Desaulniers, M.Sc.,
P.Geo., President and CEO of Nouveau Monde. Mr. Desaulniers is a Qualified Persons
under Regulation 43-101.
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Marie-Eve Chaume
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defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the
adequacy or accuracy of this release.
All statements, other than state ments of historical fact, contained in this press release
including, but not limited to (i) the obtaining of the necessary authorizations and permits;
(ii) the schedule, outlook and forecast of the Demo Plant; and (iii) generally, the
“Objectives for 2018” and “ About Nouveau Monde Graphite ” paragraphs which
essentially describe the Corporation’s outlook and objectives , constitute ''forward -
looking information'' or ''forward -looking statements'' within the meaning of certain
securities laws, and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the time
of this press release. Forward looking statements are necessarily based upon a number
of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Corporation as of
the time of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and
competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions may
prove to be incorrect.
Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can directly or indirectly affect, and could
cause, actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward -
looking statements. There can be no assurance that forward -looking statements will
prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those
anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose
of providing information about management's expectations and plans relating to the
future. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements or to explain any material difference between subsequent
actual events and such forward -looking statements, except to the extent required by
applicable law.
Further information regarding Nouveau Monde is available in the SEDAR database
(www.sedar.com) and on the Corporation's website at: www.nouveaumonde.ca