South Star Announces Additional Sales of Natural Flake Graphite Concentrate to U.S. Customer

Advancing the First New Natural-Flake Graphite Mine in the Americas this Century

South Star Battery Metals CORP. ("South Star" or the "Company") (TSXV:STS)(OTCQB:STSBF) is pleased to announce that, further to the Company's May 6, 2024 announcement ("South Star Battery Metals Announces the First Sale of Natural Flake Graphite Concentrate from its Santa Cruz Graphite Mine in Brazil") and its August 1, 2024 announcement ("South Star Announces Successful Product Qualification and 100-Tonne Sale of Natural Flake Graphite Concentrate to U.S. Customer"), South Star has executed another binding commercial sales agreement (the "Agreement") for an initial 40 tonnes (more than 88,000 pounds) of natural-flake graphite concentrate from the Company's flagship Santa Cruz Graphite Mine("Santa Cruz"), located in northeastern Brazil's Bahia state. This most recent sales Agreement was formally executed with a prominent American industrial graphite customer (the "U.S. Client

The U.S. Client has also expressed interest in negotiating regular purchases, pending positive test results for specific applications. For competitive reasons, the U.S. Client's identity and commercial details of the Agreement will remain confidential.

As announced by the Company on July 29, 2024 ("South Star Announces Substantial Completion and Commissioning of the Santa Cruz Phase 1 Graphite Mine in Brazil"), South Star is on schedule to commission the Santa Cruz Phase 1 Plant during Q3 2024. Once commercial production commences, Santa Cruz will be the first new graphite mine in the Americas this century. At steady-state, the Phase 1 Plant will produce approximately 1,000 tonnes per month/12,000 tonnes per annum of natural-flake graphite concentrates. South Star plans to fulfill initial sales agreements in Q4 2024.

South Star President and CEO Richard Pearce stated, "We are extremely pleased to continue to develop long-term partnerships in the U.S. as we continue to execute on our business plan. South Star's phased commercialization approach is predicated on effectively leveraging our first-mover advantage, providing our customers with a broad range of products for a variety of industry sectors and applications."

"As part of our upcoming National Instrument 43-101-guided ("N.I. 43-101") Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") technical report for the BamaStar Graphite Project - located in Coosa County, Alabama, USA, in the historic, past-producing ‘Alabama Graphite Belt'^[1] - we have produced several value-added battery-graphite samples, with preliminary electrochemical testing, currently underway," commented Mr. Pearce. "We intend to advance into downstream battery-graphite markets quickly with phased, modular builds, in order to scale operations as demand grows. Our long-term strategic plan is to have a vertically integrated battery-graphite manufacturing plant - located in the United States - with flake graphite concentrate feedstocks produced from two mines, producing a combined 100,000 tonnes per year of high-quality concentrates. Our team is working hard to fill out the order book for Santa Cruz's Phase 1 production, while providing South Star with the graphite concentrate feedstock needed to rapidly advance our planned suite of battery-graphite products."

South Star's immediate go-to-market commercial strategy is to produce high-quality graphite concentrates for various industrial applications and sectors. Concurrently, technical product-development programs are continuing to advance the Company's downstream product suite for value-added applications, specifically, specialty battery-graphite products - including Coated Spherical Purified Graphite ("CSPG" or "Active Anode Material") for large-scale lithium-ion ("Li-ion") battery applications and conductivity-enhancement products - applicable to all commercial primary and secondary battery chemistries. Initial production and commercial sales of value-add products are planned for Q4 2026.

The Company looks forward to updating the market on the progress of developments with other potential customers as soon as details are finalized.

On behalf of the South Star Battery Metals Corp. Board of Directors,

(s) MR. RICHARD L. PEARCE, Jr., P.E.
President, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director

# # #

QUALIFIED PERSON
Mr. Richard L. Pearce, P.E., President, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of South Star Battery Metals Corp., is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 guidelines, and has reviewed and approved the content of this news release.

ABOUT South Star Battery Metals CORP.
South Star Battery Metals Corp. ("South Star") is a Canadian battery-metals project developer focused on the selective acquisition and development of near-term production projects in the Americas. South Star's Santa Cruz Graphite Project, located in Southern Bahia, Brazil is the first of a series of industrial- and battery-metals projects that will be put into production. Brazil is the second-largest graphite-producing region in the world with more than 80 years of continuous mining. Santa Cruz has at-surface mineralization in friable materials, and successful large-scale pilot-plant testing (>30 tonnes) has been completed. The results of the testing show that approximately 65% of graphite concentrate is +80 mesh with good recoveries and 95%-99% graphitic carbon ("Cg"). With excellent infrastructure and logistics, South Star is fully funded for Phase 1, and the construction and commissioning are underway. Santa Cruz will be the first new graphite production in the Americas since 1996, with Phase 1 commercial production projected in Q3 2024. Phase 2 production (25,000 tonnes per year) is partially funded and planned for 2026, while Phase 3 (50,000 tonnes per year) is scheduled for 2028.

South Star's second project in the development pipeline is strategically located in Alabama in the center of a developing electric-vehicle, aerospace, and defense hub in the southeastern United States. The BamaStar Project includes a historic mine active during the First and Second World Wars. An N.I. 43-101 guided technical report with the maiden resource estimate has been filed on SEDAR. Trenching, Phase 1 drilling, sampling, analysis, and preliminary metallurgical testing have been completed. The testing included a traditional crush/grind/flotation concentration circuit that achieved grades of approximately 94-97% Cg with approximately 86% recoveries. South Star is executing on its plan to create a multi-asset, diversified battery-metals company with near-term operations in strategic jurisdictions. South Star trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol STS, and on the OTCQB under the symbol STSBF.

South Star is committed to a corporate culture, project execution plan and safe operations that embrace the highest standards of ESG principles, based on transparency, stakeholder engagement, ongoing education, and stewardship. Learn more by visiting www.southstarbatterymetals.com

For additional information, please contact:

SOUTH STAR INVESTOR RELATIONS
Email invest@southstarbatterymetals.com
Phone +1 (604) 706-0212
Website www.southstarbatterymetals.com

SOCIAL MEDIA
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/southstarbatterymetals/
Twitter https://twitter.com/southstarbm
YouTube South Star Battery Metals YouTube Channel
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/southstarbatterymetals

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to statements regarding moving Santa Cruz into production and scaling operations as well as advancing the Alabama project, and the Company's plans and expectations.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT
NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS PRESS RELEASE.

^[1] Cameron, Eugene N. & Weis, Paul L., "Strategic Graphite, A Survey" (Washington, DC: United States Bureau of Mines report; Bulletin 1082-E, 1960): 260 - 266, United States Geological Survey (USGS) publications website: https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/b1082E (accessed August 4, 2024)

SOURCE: South Star Battery Metals Corp.

View the original press release on accesswire.com

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tsxv:sts sts:ca battery metals investing

STS:CA

South Star Battery Metals Announces Successful Metallurgical Results for its BamaStar Graphite Project in Alabama, USA

Highlights:

Metallurgical work completed on representative oxide, transition and fresh rock composite samples ranging in grade from 2.36% Cg for fresh rock to 3.04% Cg for oxide samples.
Bond abrasion and work index testing show low to medium abrasion and low energy requirements.
Open circuit flotation tests resulted in excellent concentrates grade ranging from 94.4% Cg for fresh rock materials to 99.5% Cg for oxide samples with a simple flowsheet that maximizes graphite recovery and minimizes flake degradation.
The open circuit graphite recoveries were high, ranging between 87.5% and 91.5%.
Given the superior response of the oxide and transitional material, the next phase of work will investigate mining pit design to maximize processing of oxide and transitional material early in the project life and postpone mining of the fresh ore in order to decrease initial CAPEX, lower OPEX and target improved project economics.
The NI43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment results for BamaStar are scheduled for release in August 2024.

South Star Battery Metals Corp. ("South Star" or the "Company") (TSXV:STS)(OTCQB:STSBF) is pleased to announce successful results from the ongoing metallurgical process development program for the Bama Star graphite project in Alabama, USA

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South Star Battery Metals Announces Land Purchase, Construction Update, and the Approval of the Definitive Mining Licenses For Phases 1, 2 & 3 for its Santa Cruz Graphite Mine in Brazil

Santa Cruz Graphite Mine Highlights:

Final payment of land purchase for Phase 1 Plant and Operations.
Approval of the Definitive Mining Licenses For Phases 1, 2 & 3. All mining and environmental licenses/permits are approved and in-hand for the future phased, modular expansion of Santa Cruz graphite production up to 50,000 tonnes/year.
Phase 1 construction is on schedule for substantial completion by the end of June 2024 followed by a 6-week plant commissioning and ramp-up period. Commercial sales are planned to start in September 2024. Name plate production capacity is expected to be reached in Q4 2024.

South Star Battery Metals Corp. ("South Star" or the "Company") (TSXV:STS)(OTCQB:STSBF) is pleased to announce the final payment of the previously announced (Aug. 02, 2022) land purchase required for construction of the Phase 1 mine and plant facilities. The farm totals approximately 325 hectares and is where all the plant facilities, mine and infrastructure installations are required for the first three years of operations at its Santa Cruz Graphite Project in Bahia, Brazil

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Altech Batteries Ltd Annual Report to Shareholders

Perth, Australia (ABN Newswire) - Altech Batteries Ltd (ASX:ATC,OTC:ALTHF) (FRA:A3Y) (OTCMKTS:ALTHF) is a specialty battery technology company that has a joint venture agreement with world leading German battery institute Fraunhofer IKTS ("IKTS") to commercialise the revolutionary CERENERGY Sodium Chloride Solid State (SCSS) Battery. CERENERGY batteries are the game-changing alternative to lithium-ion batteries. CERENERGY batteries are fire and explosion-proof; have a life span of more than 15 years and operate in extreme cold and desert climates. The battery technology uses table salt and is lithium-free; cobalt-free; graphite-free; and copper-free, eliminating exposure to critical metal price rises and supply chain concerns.

The joint venture is commercialising its CERENERGY battery, with plans to construct a 120MWh production facility on Altech's land in Saxony, Germany. The facility intends to produce CERENERGY battery modules to provide grid storage solutions to the market.

Altech has executed sales offtake Letters of Intent with three companies that covers the full first five years of production from the 120MWh production facility. Altech is now forging forward with securing the finance to construct the production facility, envisaged to be a combination of debt, equity from the sale of a minority interest in the project, and grants and subsidies.

The CERENERGY battery has achieved the highest possible dark green rating from Standard & Poors, due to its non-reliance on critical minerals as well as its expected 50% less greenhouse gas emissions to lithium-ion battery technology.

Altech has licenced its proprietary high purity alumina coating technology to 75% owned subsidiary Altech Industries Germany GmbH (AIG), which has finalised a Definitive Feasibility Study for the development of a 8,000tpa silicon/graphite alumina coating plant in the state of Saxony, Germany to supply its Silumina Anodes product to the burgeoning European electric vehicle market.

The Company patented its game changing technology of incorporating high-capacity silicon into lithium-ion batteries. Through in house R&D, the Company has cracked the "silicon code" and successfully achieved a 55% higher energy battery with improved cyclability or battery life. Higher density batteries result in smaller, lighter batteries and substantially less greenhouse gases, and is the future for the EV market. The Company's proprietary silicon graphite product is registered as Silumina Anodes.

The Company is in the race to get its patented technology to market, has finalised the construction of a Silumina Anodes pilot plant at AIG's industrial site within the Schwarze Pumpe Industrial Park in Saxony, Germany. The European silicon feedstock supply partner for this plant will be Ferroglobe. The project has also received green accreditation from the independent Norwegian Centre of International Climate and Environmental Research (CICERO). The pilot plant adjacent to the proposed project site will allow the qualification process for its Silumina Anodes product. AIG has executed NDAs with German and American automakers as well as a European based battery company.

The pilot plant to produce commercial samples of the product has now been completed and is operational. Altech is working to ramp up production of the pilot plant in order to provide the commercial samples to the prospective companies for their independent testing within their product range.

*To view the full Annual Report, please visit:
https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/35XEX5O2

About Altech Batteries Ltd:

Altech Batteries Limited (ASX:ATC,OTC:ALTHF) (FRA:A3Y) is a specialty battery technology company that has a joint venture agreement with world leading German battery institute Fraunhofer IKTS ("Fraunhofer") to commercialise the revolutionary CERENERGY(R) Sodium Alumina Solid State (SAS) Battery. CERENERGY(R) batteries are the game-changing alternative to lithium-ion batteries. CERENERGY(R) batteries are fire and explosion-proof; have a life span of more than 15 years and operate in extreme cold and desert climates. The battery technology uses table salt and is lithium-free; cobalt-free; graphite-free; and copper-free, eliminating exposure to critical metal price rises and supply chain concerns.

The joint venture is commercialising its CERENERGY(R) battery, with plans to construct a 100MWh production facility on Altech's land in Saxony, Germany. The facility intends to produce CERENERGY(R) battery modules to provide grid storage solutions to the market.

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Altech Batteries Ltd CERENERGY Battery Prototype Reaches Key Milestones

Perth, Australia (ABN Newswire) - Altech Batteries Limited (ASX:ATC,OTC:ALTHF) (FRA:A3Y) (OTCMKTS:ALTHF) is pleased to announce the latest performance results of the CERENERGY(R) cell and battery pack prototypes. These results confirm the technological maturity and robustness of the CERENERGY(R) technology and mark another decisive step towards industrialisation.

Highlights

- 650+ cycles with no capacity loss, proving exceptional material stability and long operational lifespan compared to conventional batteries

- Near 100% Coulombic efficiency, confirming minimal side reactions and strong intrinsic safety of sodium nickel chloride chemistry

- High energy efficiency of up to 92%, surpassing typical 70-80% levels of competing battery technologies

- Proven safety under extreme conditions - cells remained stable during overcharge, deep discharge, and thermal cycling up to 300 degC with no gassing, leakage, or rupture

- Robust and reliable chemistry - sodium nickel chloride avoids flammable electrolytes and runaway risks, confirming suitability for safe, large-scale grid and renewable energy storage

- ABS60 prototype validated under real-world conditions -tested across diverse load profiles, high-current pulses up to 50 A, and thermal variations

- Stable, efficient performance - achieved ~88% round-trip efficiency with no observable capacity fade over 110+ cycles

CELL PERFORMANCE

The CERENERGY(R) prototype cells have successfully completed over 650 charge-discharge cycles without any detectable capacity loss. Cycle life is a critical measure of battery durability, as most conventional batteries experience gradual degradation with every cycle. Achieving such performance highlights the outstanding stability of the materials and points to the potential for a long operational lifespan.

For stationary energy storage systems (ESS), this translates into fewer battery replacements, lower lifetime operating costs, and greater reliability for end users.

The cells also delivered nearly 100% Coulombic efficiency alongside an energy efficiency of up to 92% across 650 cycles. Coulombic efficiency reflects the proportion of charge recovered during discharge relative to what was supplied during charging. A value approaching 100% indicates minimal side reactions or parasitic losses, confirming the intrinsic stability and safety of sodium nickel chloride chemistry. This high efficiency demonstrates that the cells are not expending energy on unwanted processes such as electrode degradation. Such performance is vital for scalability, ensuring reliable, longterm operation in commercial energy storage applications.

Energy efficiency represents the proportion of energy delivered relative to the energy supplied. Competing technologies, including conventional high-temperature batteries and many flow batteries, typically achieve only around 70-80%. By reaching 92%, CERENERGY(R) positions itself in a highly competitive class, offering more cost-effective energy storage, stronger economics for grid operators, and seamless compatibility with the requirements of renewable energy integration.

The cells achieved a nominal capacity of 100 Ah and 250 Wh, with reliable performance even at higher discharge rates. A key feature is their ability to support multiple daily charge-discharge cycles within the 20-80% state of charge (SoC) range at 25 A. This capability positions CERENERGY(R) as a highly flexible solution for grid operators and energy storage providers, enabling cost-efficient, long-life performance in applications that demand frequent cycling such as renewable integration, peak shaving, and backup power.

CERENERGY(R) prototype cells underwent rigorous abuse testing, including overcharge to 4 V, deep discharge to 0.2 V, and thermal cycling between room temperature and 300 degC. In all cases, the cells remained stable with no gassing, leakage, or rupture -clear proof of their outstanding safety. These results highlight the intrinsic stability of sodium nickel chloride chemistry, which avoids the flammable electrolytes and runaway risks common in lithium-ion batteries. The ability to withstand extreme electrical and thermal stress demonstrates CERENERGY(R)'s robustness and confirms its suitability for safe, largescale deployment in grid, renewable, and industrial energy storage applications. This was achieved over 3 cycles with 1.8 Full Charge Equivalent (FCE) into 22 hours.

BATTERY PACK ABS60 (60 kWh) PROTOTYPE

The first ABS60 battery pack prototype has been successfully validated under real-world operating conditions, marking a major step forward in product readiness. Testing included diverse load profiles,

continuous discharges at 25 A (equivalent to C-rate of C/4 (discharges in 4 hours), or one-quarter of the pack's rated capacity per hour) at 80% depth of discharge (DoD), short-duration high-current pulses up to 50 A, and carefully controlled thermal variations.

The pack consistently demonstrated stable performance, achieving ~88% round-trip efficiency while maintaining reliable thermal management. Efficiency refers to the proportion of input energy that can be retrieved during operation-a critical measure of economic viability for large-scale storage. Over more than 110 cycles, results showed no observable capacity fading and only a slight increase in internal resistance. Capacity fading refers to the gradual decline in usable energy over repeated cycles, while internal resistance influences power delivery and heat generation.

The absence of meaningful degradation confirms the durability and electrochemical stability of the ABS60 design. These outcomes are highly significant as they demonstrate that the pack can withstand real-world duty cycles while retaining performance and efficiency, translating into longer service life, fewer replacements, and lower total cost of ownership.

For grid operators and renewable integration projects, this combination of robust cycling capability, efficiency, and thermal stability underscores the ABS60's commercial readiness and competitive advantage in the stationary energy storage market.

These results are a strong confirmation of CERENERGY(R)'s technological leadership and a clear signal of the technology's competitiveness and robustness for future applications in energy storage and industrial markets.

Group Managing Director, Iggy Tan said "These results confirm CERENERGY(R)'s robustness and readiness for market adoption. Demonstrating long cycle life, high efficiency, and unmatched safety, we are now strongly positioned to deliver a competitive and sustainable alternative for grid and industrial energy storage."

*To view photographs, tables and figures, please visit:
https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/17QS44T3

About Altech Batteries Ltd:

Altech Batteries Limited (ASX:ATC,OTC:ALTHF) (FRA:A3Y) is a specialty battery technology company that has a joint venture agreement with world leading German battery institute Fraunhofer IKTS ("Fraunhofer") to commercialise the revolutionary CERENERGY(R) Sodium Alumina Solid State (SAS) Battery. CERENERGY(R) batteries are the game-changing alternative to lithium-ion batteries. CERENERGY(R) batteries are fire and explosion-proof; have a life span of more than 15 years and operate in extreme cold and desert climates. The battery technology uses table salt and is lithium-free; cobalt-free; graphite-free; and copper-free, eliminating exposure to critical metal price rises and supply chain concerns.

The joint venture is commercialising its CERENERGY(R) battery, with plans to construct a 100MWh production facility on Altech's land in Saxony, Germany. The facility intends to produce CERENERGY(R) battery modules to provide grid storage solutions to the market.

News Provided by ABN Newswire via QuoteMedia

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South Star Announces Additional Sales of Natural Flake Graphite Concentrate to U.S. Customer

South Star Battery Metals

Overview

Company Highlights

South Star Announces Successful Product Qualification and 100-Tonne Sale of Natural Flake Graphite Concentrate to U.S. Customer

South Star Announces Substantial Completion and Commissioning of the Santa Cruz Phase 1 Graphite Mine in Brazil

South Star Battery Metals Announces Successful Metallurgical Results for its BamaStar Graphite Project in Alabama, USA

South Star Battery Metals Announces Land Purchase, Construction Update, and the Approval of the Definitive Mining Licenses For Phases 1, 2 & 3 for its Santa Cruz Graphite Mine in Brazil

Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization Trade Resumption - STS

Altech Batteries Ltd Annual Report to Shareholders

A.I.S. Resources Signs Earn-In Agreement with Riversgold on the New Copper/Gold/Antimony Discovery at Saint John, New Brunswick

Trading Halt

ALTECH - CERENERGY Battery Prototype Reaches Key Milestones

Altech Batteries Ltd CERENERGY Battery Prototype Reaches Key Milestones

Battery Anode Material Refinery - Design & Location Update

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