Highlights from the Reporting Period:
Project Development:
- Overwhelmingly strong local community support demonstrated at the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Scoping Public Hearing in respect of the Company’s Ewoyaa Lithium Project (“Ewoyaa” or “the Project”) in Ghana.
- Completion and submission of Ewoyaa Feldspar Study and Downstream Conversion Study to Ghana’s Minerals Commission, as agreed under the terms of the grant of the Mining Lease for the Project.
- Engagement with industry-leading engineering firms with proven experience in Ghana ahead of tender process for the award of the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Management (“EPCM”) contract.
- Further key strategic appointments in support of mine development.
Exploration:
- Assay results received for a total of 9,734m of drilling completed in 2023 over the new Dog-Leg target, Okwesi, Anokyi and Ewoyaa South-2 deposits, which sit outside of the current JORC (2012) compliant 35.3Mt @ 1.25% Li2O Mineral Resource Estimate (“MRE”)1 for the Project.
- Results reported during the period represent the final results for the 2023 drilling season, with a total of 25,898m drilled throughout the year.
- Multiple high-grade and broad drill intersections reported in results, including at Dog-Leg, where drilling intersected a shallow-dipping, near surface mineralised pegmatite body with true thicknesses of up to 35m.
- Highlight intersections include 69m at 1.25% Li2O from 45m and 83m at 1% Li2O from 36m at Dog-Leg.
- Completion of reverse circulation (“RC”) and diamond core (“DD”) resource growth drilling at the Dog-Leg target, with assays pending.
- Results of drilling completed in 2023 and results pending for 2024 to be incorporated into a MRE upgrade, targeted during H2 2024.
- Completion of 3,177m of plant site sterilisation drilling, with no mineralisation intersected, providing confidence in the proposed plant site location.
Post-period end:
- Final approval received to commence field work at the newly-granted Senya Beraku prospecting licence.
- Promotion of Exploration Manager Iwan Williams to General Manager, Exploration and Country Manager Abdul Razak to Exploration Manager, Ghana following the decision of Head of Business Development & Chief Geologist Len Kolff to step down from his roles at the Company.
- Changes to the exploration team focused on enabling the advancement of the Company’s exploration asset pipeline and the evaluation of new value-accretive opportunities to ensure the long-term growth of the Company.
Corporate:
- Completion of the Minerals Income Investment Fund of Ghana’s (“MIIF”) Subscription for 19,245,574 Atlantic Lithium shares for a value of US$5m, representing Stage 1 of MIIF’s agreed total US$32.9 million Strategic Investment to expedite the development of the Project towards production.
- Strong interest for spodumene concentrate to be produced at Ewoyaa continues to be demonstrated from a range of industry players around the world through the Company’s ongoing competitive offtake partnering process to secure funding for a portion of the remaining 50% available feedstock from Ewoyaa.
- Formal bids from remaining interested parties expected to be received in the coming weeks ahead of final negotiations.
- Purchase of 24.3m Atlantic Lithium shares at a premium by major shareholder Assore International Holdings (“Assore”) from strategic funding partner Piedmont Lithium Inc. (NASDAQ: PLL; ASX: PLL, “Piedmont”).
- Further purchase of the Company’s shares from members of the Company’s senior leadership team, equating to a total value of A$5,192,393 (£2,794,015) since March 2023.
Commenting, Neil Herbert, Executive Chairman of Atlantic Lithium, said:
“With our sights firmly set on breaking ground at the Ewoyaa Lithium Project later this year, Atlantic Lithium remains fully focused on activities that de-risk the Project and move Ewoyaa closer to shovel-readiness.
“Key to achieving this milestone is the success of the ongoing permitting process, which is advancing as anticipated. We are proud to note the overwhelming support of our local communities, who, as demonstrated during the recent EPA Scoping Public Hearing, are eager to see Ewoyaa deliver the generational benefits expected to be brought about from lithium production in their municipality.
“Following the completion of its US$5m investment in the Company, we are delighted to welcome the Minerals Income Investment Fund of Ghana to the Atlantic Lithium share register as a highly valued local stakeholder and key funding partner. MIIF’s subscription represents the first stage of its planned US$32.9m total investment, expected to expedite the development of the Project. We continue to work closely with MIIF to complete the remainder of its planned Project- level investment in due course.
“Significant work in respect of the agreed terms of the grant of the Mining Lease for the Project has also been completed during the period. Both the Feldspar Study and Downstream Study have been finalised and submitted to the Minerals Commission, and we are working with the Ghana Stock Exchange and associated parties to enable our listing on the GSE as soon as possible.
“Concurrent to these, we continue to enhance the value of the Project; both through drilling completed in 2023 and planned for the remainder of 2024. Drilling completed in 2023 has delivered encouraging results, including new targets for follow-on work, to be undertaken in H2 2024. We look forward to incorporating the 2023 results and results to be received from drilling planned for H2 2024 into a MRE update later this year.
“I would like to congratulate Iwan Williams and Abdul Razak on their promotions, to General Manager, Exploration and Exploration Manager, Ghana, respectively, following Len’s decision to step down from his roles at the Company. Iwan and Razak have led the Company’s exploration activities alongside Len since before the delivery of the Maiden MRE at Ewoyaa in 2020, and are, therefore, well-credentialled to lead the Company’s exploration efforts, focused primarily on advancing our current portfolio of assets in West Africa, as well as assessing new opportunities in Ghana and elsewhere.
“On behalf of the Board, I would also like to thank Len for his significant contributions to the leadership of the Company throughout his nine years with Atlantic Lithium. His expertise has been fundamental to getting us to where we are today, notably his role in the discovery of the Project and for stepping up to assume the role of Interim Chief Executive Officer following the untimely passing of the Company’s founder, Vincent Mascolo. I wish him every success in his future endeavours.
“Looking forward, we have a number of other major catalysts in the months ahead of us. These include the conclusion of the competitive offiake partnering process for a portion of Ewoyaa’s remaining offiake available, which will serve as a major funding milestone for the Company, the ratification of the Mining Lease by parliament and, in line with the ongoing permitting process, the grant of the final permits; namely the EPA Permit and Mine Operating Permit, which are required by the Company to enable the commencement of construction at Ewoyaa.
“We look forward to updating the market on our progress in due course.”
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Figure 1: Solonópole Project permits and targets drilled in May – June 2023 (red dots)