SIGMA Lithium Resources Corporation (“
Sigma” or
the “
Company”)
(TSX-V: SGMA) (OTC- QB:
SGMLF) is pleased to present the project progress update
and announce the filing of its financial statements and
management’s discussion and analysis for the year ended December
31, 2019.
COVID-19 RESPONSE
Sigma’s management has been continuously
assessing the situation and taking the necessary actions to address
employee health and safety. Sigma is abiding by all government
restrictions relating to COVID-19, notably in Sao Paulo and
Toronto, where administrative and support staff, as well as third
party accounting service providers have been working from home. The
Company has implemented several protocols, including significantly
restricting travel and generally requiring remote working for
administrative personnel. Due to Sigma’s pre-operating status, the
required changes at its Grota do Cirilo project (the
“Project”) have not been substantial.
Sigma is actively supporting its communities of
Itinga and Aracuai in the Jequitinhonha Valley. As previously
announced, the Company procured 12 tons of sodium hypochlorite
(hospital sanitizer liquid bleach) to be distributed to numerous
hospitals, medical clinics, prisons, nursing homes, care centers
for people with disabilities and religious entities in the Vale do
Jequitinhonha region. This amount should supply them until December
2020. The municipality of Itinga conducted a comprehensive
disinfecting program of the municipal food marketplace and public
areas using the chemicals provided by Sigma.
“While we remain fully committed to bringing
Sigma to production, our top priority will continue to be
protecting the health and safety of our employees and their
families and our communities,” commented Calvyn Gardner, Sigma’s
CEO. “I couldn’t be prouder of the way our employees, our
communities in Vale do Jequitinhonha have responded to these
unprecedented times. We have been actively supporting the efforts
of the municipalities of Itinga and Aracuai to address this
challenge. We will continue to engage with the municipalities to
plan new initiatives in the coming months."
As of May 15th, 2020, the Brazilian government
has not introduced measures which impede the normal operation of
the Project. On March 20, 2020, the Brazilian Ministry of Mines and
Energy issued a decree which includes the mining sector amongst the
industries considered to be “essential” to the prosperity and
economy of the country. As a result, the on-site activities of
operational and pre-operational mining companies in Brazil are not
subject to the physical movement restrictions and shelter-in-place,
lockdowns and state border restrictions imposed by certain states
and municipalities as a result of the COVID-19. Nevertheless, the
Company is following closely other macroeconomic, capital markets,
political and social changes that will affect the Company as a
result of the COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on the auto industry
and demand for electric vehicles.
MOST RECENT HIGHLIGHTS SUBSEQUENT TO THE YEAR-END AND IN
2019, (IN REVERSE CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER):
- Following the submission and
ongoing review by ANM (“Agência Nacional de Mineracao”) in Brazil
of the PAE (“Plano de Aproveitamento Economico”) for the Barreiro
deposit at the Project, Sigma has commissioned its environmental
studies and initiated the process of obtaining its environmental
license in Minas Gerais.
- On March 16, 2020, Sigma formally
engaged Banco do Brasil S.A. (“BB”), Brazil’s
largest bank, to advise and support the Company to prepare a
financing package to fund the Company. BB has been in active
discussions with various development banks and development agencies
in Brazil: Banco do Nordeste (BNB), BNDES, BDMG and FINEP (the
“Development Banks”). The Company is seeking
commitments from the Development Banks for an aggregate amount to
complete a financing package that, added together with the
remaining US$27 million portion of the Mitsui Pre-Payment (defined
below), would fund the Project construction in full.
- On February 21, 2020, Duro Felguera
(“DF”) and Primero Group Americas Inc. (a subsidiary of Primero
Group Ltd.) (“Primero”) successfully completed the first phase of
Early Contractor Involvement (“ECI”) with Sigma and provided an
updated Guaranteed Maximum Price (“GMP”) of US$70 million for the
engineering, procurement and construction (“EPC”) of the Project.
The construction cost in the GMP of US$59 million was lower than
the US$66 million for plant and infrastructure estimated in the
Feasibility Study Report (as defined below). For comparison
purposes and to maintain consistency with the Feasibility Study
Report, the GMP was calculated utilizing the same foreign exchange
rate of the Feasibility Study Report of US$ 1 = BRL 3.85. On May
15th the exchange rate was US$ 1 = BRL 5.89. The approximate 50%
devaluation of the Brazilian Real to date will have the overall
effect of decreasing the expected capital expenditure (“Capex”) of
the Project, a material portion of which is expected to be sourced
domestically in Brazil and is, therefore, to be denominated in
Brazilian Real. The parties are currently negotiating a Memorandum
of Understanding formalizing the next steps of the detailed
engineering phase of the Project.
- On November 29, 2019, the Company
entered into an agreement with A10 Group, a group of companies
owned by certain directors of the Company providing for a $6.6
million (US$5 million) revolver credit facility (the “A10
Group Credit Facility”), bearing interest at 11% per
annum, calculated from the day funds are drawn. This facility has a
one-year term, which is the maturity for all funds drawn, and
allows funding for lender approved expenses. As of December 31,
2019, $311,760 (US$240,000) had been drawn on the A10 Group Credit
Facility. As of May 14, 2020, $1,388,732 (US$986,000) had been
drawn on this facility.
- On November 8, 2019, the Company’s
Chief Strategic Officer addressed the World Climate Summit during
the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP 25 in Madrid and
presented the case study of the Company as an ESG “green lithium”
company and the role played by its investors in providing the
capital and the leadership to drive the implementation of
environmental and social best practices.
- On November 6, 2019, the Company
filed the technical report titled “Grota do Cirilo Lithium Project,
Araçuaí and Itinga Regions, Minas Gerais, Brazil, National
Instrument 43-101 Technical Report on Feasibility Study Final
Report”, dated October 18, 2019 and with an effective date of
September 16, 2019 (the “Feasibility Study
Report”) on SEDAR
(www.sedar.com). Based on the
design considered by the Feasibility Study Report, the Project’s
commercial production plant will have the capacity to process 1.5
million metric tonnes of spodumene ore per year, expandable to 3
million metric tonnes within the same production complex. The
lithium process design is proprietary and includes Dense Media
Separation (“DMS”) technology. The commercial production plant
design is projected to produce 220,000 tonnes of high-quality
battery-grade 6% lithium oxide concentrate per annum, with one of
the lowest reported levels of impurities in the world. At a later
stage, Sigma has the option to double the commercial production
plant capacity to process 3 million metric tonnes of spodumene ore
per year, producing an expected 440,000 tonnes of high-quality
battery-grade 6% lithium oxide concentrate, subject to completion
of all related studies and assessments. The economic analysis in
the Feasibility Study Report includes an after tax NPV for the
Project’s Xuxa deposit and the commercial production plant of
US$249 million, IRR of 43% and payback of 3.1 years. The
Feasibility Study Report includes (i) a Mineral Reserves estimate
of 10.27 million tonnes of proven reserves with 1.45% Li2O content
and 3.52 million tonnes of probable reserves with 1.47% Li2O
content, and (ii) a Mineral Resources estimate of 26.34 million
tonnes of measured resources with 1.39% Li2O content, and 19.44
million tonnes of indicated resources with 1.37% Li2O content and
6.6 million tonnes of inferred resources. This represents
approximately 1,560,919 tonnes of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent
(“LCE”) in the measured and indicated categories,
with a further 220,070 tonnes LCE in the inferred category. The
estimates were prepared using a cut-off grade of 0.5%
Li2O.
- In July 2019, the Company filed at
the ANM (“Agência Nacional de Mineracao”) in Brazil the PAE (“Plano
de Aproveitamento Economico”) for the Project’s Barreiro deposit.
The PAE is the study required by the Brazilian regulators to
authorize the commencement of commercial mining activities, and an
approved PAE is required for the environmental licensing process.
Sigma initiated sample selection for metallurgical studies and
pre-feasibility level test work for the Barreiro deposit in order
to confirm that its lithium spodumene can be economically processed
through the same DMS processing circuit of the commercial
production plant designed to process the spodumene of the Project’s
Xuxa deposit.
- On June 11, 2019, the Company
announced that it had obtained the required environmental licenses
for both construction (“LP”) and installation (“LI”) of the
commercial production plant from the environmental authority of the
State of Minas Gerais, the Council of Environmental Policy
(“Conselho Estadual de Politica Ambiental – COPAM”) in Brazil.
COPAM has issued a Dual LP and LI Certificate for a period of six
years expiring on May 31, 2025.
- In April 2019, lithium spodumene
concentrate samples were validated by several large potential
customers in the chemical and cathode industries, who confirmed
their exceptional quality (battery grade above 6%) and very low
impurities (specifically low levels of alkaline elements and iron,
both well below 1%). The Company has received significant interest
in long-term offtake arrangements for its spodumene concentrate.
- On April 5, 2019, the Company
announced the execution of a binding heads of agreement for an
offtake of spodumene concentrate (the “Mitsui
Pre-Payment”) with Mitsui & Co. Ltd. (“Mitsui”).
- In February 2019, the definitive
Water License for the construction of the commercial production
plant was granted by Agência Nacional de Águas, the Federal
government water agency of Brazil.
- Also in February 2019, certain tax
incentives and exemptions were received under an economic
development program administered by SUDENE, a Brazilian federal
government agency.
- On January 10, 2019, the Company
announced that an updated mineral resource estimate for the Project
has been completed by SGS consisting of measured and indicated
resources of 45.7 million tonnes and inferred resource of 6.6
million tonnes. This represents approximately 1,560,919 tonnes of
Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (“LCE”) in the measured and indicated
categories, with a further 220,070 tonnes LCE in the inferred
category, tripling the mineral resource reflected in the previous
estimate. The estimates (which are also reflected in the
Feasibility Study Report) were prepared using a cut-off grade of
0.5% Li2O. The technical report, was filed on February 25, 2019 at
www.sedar.com
FINANCIAL RESULTS
Selected consolidated financial information is
presented as follows:
(in CAD $thousands except per share
information) |
Year ended December 31,2019 |
Year ended December 31,2018 |
General and Administrative Expenses |
(3,907.8) |
(6,317.0) |
Net Loss |
(5,075.0) |
(10,450.1) |
Net Comprehensive Loss |
(5,175.80) |
(10,664.00) |
Loss per Common Share - Basic and Diluted |
(0.07) |
(0.23) |
Cash and Cash Equivalents |
103.6 |
4,160.8 |
Total Assets |
20,927.2 |
19,076.7 |
Total Liabilities |
(12,187.9) |
(7,694.8) |
The Company’s net loss totalled $5,074,967 for
the year ended December 31, 2019, with basic and diluted loss per
share of $0.07. This compares with a net loss of $10,450,133 with
basic and diluted loss per share of $0.23 for the year ended
December 31, 2018. The decrease in net loss of $5,375,166 was
principally because of lower general and administrative expenses,
which totalled $3,907,847 for the year ended December 31, 2019
(2018 - $6,317,042).
At December 31, 2019, the Company had cash and
cash equivalents of $103,640, compared to $4,160,792 at December
31, 2018. The decrease in cash of $4,057,152 from the December 31,
2018 cash balance of $4,160,792 was the result of net cash inflows
in operating activities of $409,731 (net of the initial tranche of
the Mitsui Pre-Payment), cash outflows from investing activities of
$4,893,174; cash inflows in financing activities of $377,608, and
positive effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash held in
foreign currency of $48,683.
Management believes that the Company has access
to sufficient funds for its planned expenditures for the next 12
months and to meet certain ongoing obligations with third parties.
The Company has considerable flexibility in terms of the pace and
timing of project costs and how expenditures have been, or may be,
adjusted, limited or deferred subject to current capital resources
and the potential to raise further funds. The CAD$6.6 million (US$5
million) A10 Group Credit Facility provides additional support for
the Company’s needs. As of December 31, 2019, $311,760 (US$240,000)
had been drawn on the A10 Group Credit Facility. As of May 15,
2020, $1,388,732 (US$986,000) had been drawn on the A10 Group
Credit Facility.
NEXT STEPS FOR SIGMA FOR 2020 (SUBJECT TO COVID-19
DEVELOPMENTS)
It is not possible to reliably estimate the
length and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic or its ultimate impact
on the financial results and condition of the Company and its
operating subsidiaries in future periods. Therefore, Sigma has been
focusing on advancing the Project to construction, prioritizing the
activities that can be mostly executed with Brazilian-based
personnel and that require a limited amount of inbound and outbound
travel to and from Brazil. In 2020, subject to COVID-19
developments, the Company intends to:
- Continue to work closely with both
the Development Banks and other international and Brazilian
financial institutions to finalize financing for the Project
construction in full.
- Following the approval of the PAE
(“Plano de Aproveitamento Economico”) for the Barreiro Deposit,
continue to execute the environmental licensing process for the
Project’s Barreiro deposit, prepare the RIMA report and file with
SUPRAM (“Superintendência Regional do Meio Ambiente”).
- Finalize the negotiations with DF
and Primero to initiate the detailed engineering to build the
commercial production plant.
- Finalize the ongoing
pre-feasibility study for the Barreiro Deposit, validating the
economic potential and production costs outlined in the PAE, as
well as its mineral reserve estimate. Mining the Barreiro deposit,
subject to completion of all related feasibility studies and
assessments, has the potential to double the average annual
production capacity of the commercial production plant to 440,000
tonnes per year.
- Continue ongoing negotiations with
offtake customers and potential partners in order to finalize
binding off-take agreements (interested parties to date include
companies from the lithium, mining, chemicals, battery and
automotive sectors), and conclude formalizing a binding additional
offtake commitment with Mitsui.
MINOR DELAYS IN FILING 1Q 2020
As a result of Sigma experiencing initial
unforeseen difficulties implementing “home office” working
practices for its administrative staff in Sao Paulo and Toronto in
March, the company experienced a 15-day delay in filing its 2019
annual disclosure documents required under National Instrument
51-102 (“NI 51-102”). These difficulties have been resolved and
administrative activities are normalized.
However, the minor delay will be carried into
filing the first quarter disclosures. Sigma is continuing to work
diligently and expeditiously and the first quarter 2020 filings are
expected to be completed on or before June 15, 2020. The Company
confirms that since the recent filing of its 2019 annual financial
statements, there have been no material business developments other
than those disclosed through news releases.
Sigma will be relying on Blanket Order 51-517 –
Temporary Exemption from Certain Corporate Finance Requirements of
the British Columbia Securities Commission and similar exemptions
provided by the Ontario Securities Commission, which allow for a
delay in required quarterly disclosure document filings in light of
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sigma will be relying on the temporary exemption
with respect to the following provisions: (i) The requirement to
file interim consolidated financial statements for the three month
period ended March 31, 2020 within 60 days of the end of the three
month period ended March 31, 2020, as required by section 4.4(b) of
NI 51-102; (ii) the requirement to file management discussion and
analysis for the period covered by such first quarter financial
statements within 60 days of the end of the first quarter as
required by section 5.1(2) of NI 51-102; and (iii) the requirement
to file certifications of the first quarter financial statements
pursuant to section 5.1 of National Instrument 52-109.
In the interim, management and other insiders of
Sigma are subject to a management trading black-out policy as
described, in principle, in section 9 of National Policy 11-
207.
INDEPENDENT QUALIFIED PERSON
The technical and scientific information in this
press release has been reviewed and approved by Marc Antoine
Laporte, P.Geo., M. Sc., of SGS Canada Inc. Mr. Laporte is a
Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and is
independent of Sigma.
ABOUT SIGMA LITHIUM
Sigma is a Canadian company and produces
environmentally sustainable battery-grade lithium concentrate on a
pilot scale since 2018, shipping high-quality above 6% Li2O coarse
lithium concentrate samples to potential customers in Asia. Based
on the technical report titled “Grota do Cirilo Lithium Project,
Araçuaí and Itinga Regions, Minas Gerais, Brazil, National
Instrument 43-101 Technical Report on Feasibility Study Final
Report”, dated October 18, 2019 and with an effective date of
September 16, 2019, a larger-scale lithium concentration commercial
production plant will contemplate a capacity of 220,000 tonnes
annually of battery-grade low-cost lithium concentrate and Sigma
will be amongst the lowest-cost producers of lithium concentrate
globally.
To secure a leading position supplying the clean
mobility and green energy storage value chain, Sigma has adhered to
the highest standards of environmental practices in line with its
core values and mission since starting activities in 2012. Sigma’s
production process is powered by hydroelectricity and the Company
utilizes state-of-the-art dry-stacking tailings management and
water-recycling techniques in its beneficiation process. Its
corporate mission is to execute its strategy while embracing strict
ESG principles. Sigma’s shareholders include some of the largest
ESG-focused institutional investors in the world.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT
Sigma Lithium Resources
Corporationwww.sigmalithiumresources.com
Company Contact:Anna HartleyDirector of Investor Relations44
7866 458 093anna.hartley@sigmaca.com
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release includes certain
"forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities
legislation including statements relating to the timing for the
filing of the quarterly continuous disclosure documents and other
forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are
necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that,
while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown
risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual
results and future events to differ materially from those expressed
or implied by such forward-looking statements. All statements that
address future plans, activities, events, or developments that the
Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur are
forward-looking information, including statements regarding the
potential development of resources and drilling plans which may or
may not occur. Forward-looking statements and information contained
herein are based on certain factors and assumptions regarding,
among other things, the ability to complete the Annual Filings and
Interim Filings; the market price of the Company's securities,
metal prices, exchange rates, taxation, the estimation, timing and
amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating
costs, the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory
approvals, environmental risks, title disputes, litigation risks,
failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated,
accidents, labour disputes, claims and limitations on insurance
coverage and other risks of the mining industry, changes in
national and local government regulation of mining operations, and
regulations and other matters including the COVID-19 pandemic.
There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be
accurate, as actual results and future events could differ
materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly,
readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking
statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to
update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as
required by law. For more information on the risks, uncertainties
and assumptions that could cause our actual results to differ from
current expectations, please refer to our public filings available
at www.sedar.com.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its
Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the
policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for
the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Sigma Lithium (TSXV:SGMA)
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