Orbite Aluminae Announces Three Major Achievements
March 15 2012 - 10:00AM
Marketwired
Orbite Aluminae Inc. (TSX:ORT) (the "Company") is pleased to
announce that it has reached three important milestones in its
development. It has recently opened a new laboratory facility in
Laval, Quebec, which will serve as the Company's principal
laboratory. It is also proud to have secured the support of the
Micmac Nation of Gespeg in regards to the Company's alumina plant
project in the Gaspesie region. And finally, Orbite has been issued
a new Canadian patent for its technologies and has filed for two
new patents in the U.S.
New laboratory opens
The Company has inaugurated its principal laboratory, which will
support its upcoming production of high-purity alumina and future
production of metallurgical-grade alumina. Housed in the Laval
Biotechnology Development Centre, this modern laboratory will
provide a range of services to the Company plants, including high
purity chemical analysis, quality control, and process
development.
The decision to establish this laboratory reaffirms the
Company's commitment to producing high-purity alumina-an oxide with
a unique behaviour and characteristics requiring specialized
monitoring-for a variety of customer applications worldwide. The
laboratory will also enable the Company to conduct pilot tests to
address the specific needs of future partners and customers.
"Our new laboratory brings us a step closer to our first
industrial plant for the production of high-purity alumina," said
Joel Fournier, Chief Scientific Officer. "Together with our
continuous improvement initiatives, it will ensure that quality
control and business development remain core components of Orbite's
technology and extraction process, providing our customers with a
product that exceeds their highly specialized needs."
The laboratory already has three full-time employees, and the
Company expects to hire up to five additional employees in the near
future.
Gespeg band agreement
The Company also announces that it has obtained the support of
the Micmac Nation of Gespeg for its metallurgical alumina plant
project in the Gaspesie region. "We have established a mutual
respect, and our discussions have enabled us to recognize Orbite's
commitment to completing the project within a framework of
sustainable development" explained Claude Jeannotte, Chief of the
Micmac Nation of Gespeg. The Company aims to complement existing
Micmac community initiatives to enrich socio-economic development
in Gaspesie through its high-purity and metallurgical alumina
projects.
Patents
Orbite is also pleased to announce that it has received another
Canadian patent. This latest patent will notably protect additional
technologies associated with the production of both high-purity
(ultra-pure) and metallurgical-grade alumina.
Moreover, the Company filed two new U. S. patent applications,
one for the production of metallurgical alumina and the other for a
process to treat red muds resulting from the Bayer process. This
expands the patent portfolio of the Company to eight different
families, including three patents issued and 17 applications
pending in 10 countries.
Finally, the Company has recently obtained patent US 7837961.
The company, taking a very stringent approach towards the
protection of its intellectual property, obtained confirmation of
its patent's validity and enforceability from the renowned American
legal firm Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP. The purpose of this exercise
was to ensure, through an independent third-party, an added
guarantee of the validity of this important asset.
About Orbite
Orbite owns 100% of the mining rights on a Grande-Vallee
property of approximately 6 441 hectares, the site of an aluminous
clay deposit located 23 km south of Grande-Vallee, and a 2 600 m2
full scale pilot plant in Cap Chat, in the Gaspe region. An NI
43-101 report issued in August 2011, identified an Indicated
Resource of about one billion tonnes of aluminous clay in part of
the deposit containing a series of mineral elements. The Company
also owns the intellectual property rights to a unique Canada- and
U.S.-patented process for extracting alumina from various types of
aluminous ores and for which patents are also pending in other
countries. www.orbitealuminae.com
Forward-looking statements
Certain information contained in this document may include
"forward-looking information". Without limiting the foregoing, the
information and any forward-looking information may include
statements regarding projects, costs, objectives and future returns
of the Company or hypotheses underlying these items. In this
document, words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "likely",
"believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "plan", "estimate" and
similar words and the negative form thereof are used to identify
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not
be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will
not necessarily be accurate indications of whether, or the times at
or by which, such future performance will be achieved.
Forward-looking statements and information are based on information
available at the time and/or the Company management's good-faith
beliefs with respect to future events and are subject to known or
unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other unpredictable
factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. These
risks uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited
to, those described in the section of the Management's Discussion
and Analysis (MD&A) entitled "Risk and Uncertainties" as filed
on November 14, 2011 on SEDAR, and could cause actual events or
results to differ materially from those projected in any
forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, nor does
it undertake, any obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking information or statements contained in this
document to reflect subsequent information, events or circumstances
or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws.
Contacts: MEDIA: Frederic Berard H+K Strategies 514-395-0375,
ext. 259 Jacques Bedard CFO Orbite Aluminae Inc. 514-744-6264
INVESTORS: Louis Morin Investor Relations 514-591-3988 Jason Monaco
Managing Partner First Canadian Capital Corp. 416-742-5600 Nicole
Blanchard Investor Relations Sun International Communications
450-973-6600