BCN.L Regulatory News (BCN)

Bacanora Lithium plc / Index: AIM / Epic: BCN / Sector: Natural Resources

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27 November 2018

Bacanora Lithium plc ("Bacanora" or the "Company")

Appointment of Citigroup Global Markets

Bacanora Lithium plc (AIM: BCN), the London traded lithium exploration and development company, is pleased to announce the appointment of Citigroup Global Markets Limited ("Citi") to lead the equity financing of the Sonora project alongside Canaccord Genuity, both of whom shall also act as joint corporate brokers.

Bacanora's assets include a project located in Sonora State, Mexico ('Sonora' or the 'Project') where the Company is focused on developing a potential 35,000 tpa battery-grade lithium (Li2CO3) mine and processing plant. In December 2017, Bacanora announced a Feasibility Study ("FS") which confirmed the positive economics and favourable operating costs of the Project. The FS estimated a pre-tax project Net Present Value of US$1.253 Billion, an Internal Rate of Return of 26.2%, and Life Of Mine operating costs of US$3,910/t Li2CO3, which places Sonora among the lowest cost producers of battery-grade lithium. The Company's Board of Directors believes that Sonora is ideally placed to become a major supplier of battery-grade Li2CO3 to fast-growing industries such as electric vehicles and energy storage.

To date, the Company has announced equity and debt funding commitments totalling US$240m, which represents 52% of the US$460m required for Stage 1 production of 17,500 tpa of Li2CO3 at Sonora (the "Construction Funding"). These include a US$150m senior debt facility with RK Mine Finance, one of the leading specialist mining lenders, and conditional strategic investments from the State General Reserve Fund of Oman ("SGRF"), the sovereign wealth fund of the Sultanate of Oman, and from Bacanora's off-take partner, Hanwa, for a combined total of US$90m.

Bacanora intends to complete the Construction Funding in the first quarter of 2019. Following a successful financing of the Sonora project, Bacanora will consider seeking a Premium Listing on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange.

Bacanora CEO Peter Secker said: "To have corporate brokers of the calibre of Citigroup Global Markets and Canaccord Genuity is testament to the quality of our project at Sonora. We have long believed that Sonora has the credentials to become a major low-cost supplier of battery grade lithium to rapidly emerging industries such as electric vehicles for many years to come. With this in mind, we look forward to working with both Citi and Canaccord to secure the outstanding funds that are required to commence construction of the plant, either at the Project or the Company level, and in the process seek to increase value for shareholders."

Further information, including the FS referred to above and Bacanora's most recent investor presentation, is available on the Company's website at www.bacanoralithium.com.

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Notes to Editors

Bacanora Lithium is a London traded lithium exploration and development company (AIM: BCN). Bacanora owns ten mining concession areas covering approximately 100 thousand hectares in the northeast of Sonora State in Mexico. Seven of these ten mining concessions (the 'Sonora Lithium Project'1) were included in the Feasibility Study announced 12 December 2017. The Company, through drilling and exploration work to date, has established a Measured plus Indicated Mineral Resource estimate of over 5 Mt (comprising 1.9 Mt of Measured Resources and 3.1Mt of Indicated Resources) of LCE2 and an additional Inferred Mineral Resource of 3.7 Mt of LCE. The Company's Feasibility Study has established Proven Mineral Reserves (in accordance with NI 43-101) of 1.67 Mt and Probable Mineral Reserves of 2.85 Mt LCE and confirmed the economics associated with becoming a 35,000 tpa lithium carbonate and 30,000 tpa SOP producer in Mexico. In addition to the Sonora Lithium Project, the Company also has a 50% interest in the Zinnwald Lithium Project and the Falkenhain Licence in southern Saxony, Germany. Each of the Zinnwald Lithium Project and the Falkenhain Licence are located in a granite hosted Sn/W/Li belt that has been mined historically for tin, tungsten and lithium at different times over the past 300 years. The strategic location of the Zinnwald Lithium Project and the Falkenhain Licence provides close geographical proximity to the German automotive and downstream lithium chemical industries.

[1] The Sonora Lithium Project is comprised of the following lithium properties: La Ventana lithium concession, which is 100 percent owned by Bacanora and El Sauz and Fleur concessions, which are held by Mexilit S.A. de C.V. ('Mexilit') which is owned 70 percent by Bacanora and 30 percent by Cadence Minerals Plc. The Project also includes three other lithium concessions, Buenavista, San Gabriel and Megalit, which do not form part of the Feasibility Study, and are held by Megalit S.A. de C.V, which is owned 70 percent by Bacanora and 30 percent by Cadence Minerals Plc.

2 LCE = lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) equivalent; determined by multiplying Li value in percent by 5.324 to get an equivalent Li2CO3 value in per cent. Use of LCE is to provide data comparable with industry reports and assumes complete conversion of lithium in clays with no recovery or process losses.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS:

Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. In particular, forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to the holding of an annual and special meeting and the delivery of materials to shareholders in respect of such meeting. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information.

Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: commodity price volatility; general economic conditions in the UK, Canada, the United States, Mexico and globally; industry conditions, governmental regulation, including environmental regulation; unanticipated operating events or performance; failure to obtain industry partner and other third party consents and approvals, if and when required; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility; competition for, among other things, capital, skilled personnel and supplies; changes in tax laws; and the other risk factors. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in our expectations except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

This announcement is not for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States of America. This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale into the United States. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States, except pursuant to an applicable exemption from registration. No public offering of securities is being made in the United States.

The contents of this announcement, which has been prepared by and is the sole responsibility of Bacanora, have been approved solely for the purposes of section 21(2)(b) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 by Citigroup Global Markets Limited, whose registered office is at Citigroup Centre, Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5LB. Citigroup Global Markets Limited, which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority in the United Kingdom, and Canaccord Genuity Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, are each acting exclusively for Bacanora and no one else in connection with the Project, and will not regard any other person as their client in relation to the Project and will not be responsible to anyone other than Bacanora for providing the protections afforded to their respective clients, nor for providing advice in relation to the Project or the contents of this announcement or any transaction, arrangement or other matter referred to herein.

None of Citigroup Global Markets Limited, Canaccord Genuity Limited nor any of their respective subsidiary undertakings, affiliates or any of their respective partners, directors, officers, employees, advisers, agents or any other person accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for, or makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the truth, accuracy, completeness or fairness of the information or opinions in this announcement (or whether any information has been omitted from the announcement) or any other information relating to Bacanora, or any of their subsidiaries or associated companies, whether written, oral or in a visual or electronic form, and howsoever transmitted or made available or for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection with it.