+ NMG tops Benchmark’s newly released Sustainability Index for
producer as the only natural graphite producer in the “Industry
Leading” category ahead of all Western, African, and Chinese
producers
+ Benchmark’s Sustainability Index of graphite producers
includes thorough review of ESG practices by its team of expert
analysts and global life cycle assessments analyzing the averaged
environmental impacts of dominant production routes
+ NMG’s ESG-centered business model includes all-electric
mining, proprietary purification ecotechnology, partnered
development with communities and First Nations, established carbon
neutrality, and progressive reclamation among other proactive
sustainability measures
+ An ISO-compliant life cycle assessment of NMG’s planned
operations has demonstrated that the Company’s active anode
material production is among the cleanest in the world
+ The U.S. & China’s recent trade measures targeting
graphite materials reaffirm the importance of responsible sourcing;
the Chinese-controlled graphite supply chain now disqualified for
EV incentives in the U.S.
Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc. (“NMG“ or the “Company”) (NYSE: NMG,
TSX.V: NOU) has been identified as “Industry Leading” in Benchmark
Mineral Intelligence’s (“Benchmark”) latest ESG assessment of
critical minerals for battery materials focusing on natural
graphite. The Sustainability Index developed by Benchmark’s team of
expert ESG analysts aims to inform battery and electric vehicle
(“EV”) manufacturers on the environmental, ethical, and sound
management practices of producers in a push toward responsible and
transparent production. NMG is the only company to have been
qualified in the “Industry Leading” category according to
Benchmark’s comprehensive examination of ESG practices,
transparency, and engagement.
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the full release here:
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Benchmark’s Sustainability Index has
qualified only one “Industry Leading” company in the flake graphite
industry: Nouveau Monde Graphite. (Photo: Business Wire)
Arne H Frandsen, Chair of NMG, declared: “Legislation, consumer
preferences, geopolitics, and industry standards are all converging
toward trusted and ESG-compliant sources of critical minerals and
advanced materials. Benchmark’s Sustainability Index sheds a new
light on these important questions, studying the multiple facets of
ESG performance. NMG’s top position, with a significant advance
over peers, demonstrates the commitment and depth of our
sustainability promise to customers, regulators, and stakeholders.
Congratulations to the team for such a recognition!”
Charlotte Selvey Miller, Head of Sustainability at Benchmark,
commented: “We’re pleased to release the first-of-its-kind
Sustainability Index, specifically designed for the lithium-ion
battery supply chain. This in-depth assessment is rooted by our
multi-stakeholder approach in order to identify key risks and areas
for companies operating, or planning to operate, in this space. The
“Industry Leading” classification is given to companies who score
over 70/100 in our meticulous assessment of ESG indicators and we
aim to continue developing the Index to allow companies to keep
striving towards best practices in ESG transparency, disclosure,
and performance.”
Eric Desaulniers, Founder, President and CEO of NMG, said:
“Sustainability is core to our business model; we are
climate-oriented by design and deeply invested in a partnered and
inclusive approach to responsible mining and manufacturing. This
rating positions NMG at the forefront of the battery and EV market
for environmental and ethical sources of advanced materials. We are
setting a new standard for our sector together with our potential
customers who share this vision of a green, clean, and just value
chain for the electric revolution.”
ESG Performance and Beyond
Steered by Benchmark’s team of expert ESG analysts and LCA
practitioners, the ESG assessment of the natural graphite industry
examines the sustainability credentials of over 60 flake graphite
companies. The Sustainability Index is a composite index measuring
the ESG transparency of natural graphite industry players and their
commitments to best practices. Companies are assessed against 79
ESG indicators across 26 ESG topics of concern, and classified into
4 tiers: Industry Leading, Good Practice, Moderate Visibility and
Limited Visibility. Among all Chinese, African, and Western flake
graphite producers, NMG is the only company to have obtained the
“Industry Leading” rank.
Benchmark also released a Graphite Global LCA to calculate the
environmental impacts of graphite anode material based on natural
and synthetic sources, production regions and end-users
markets.
In 2022, NMG published the results of an ISO-compliant life
cycle assessment of the Company’s planned operations demonstrating
that NMG’s active anode material production is among the cleanest
in the world, an expected Global Warming Potential of 1.23 kg CO2
equivalent per kg, an impact up to 11 times smaller than that of
benchmarked production.
Extraction and
concentration
Advanced manufacturing
GWP(kg CO2 eq
per kg)
GWP of NMG’s CSPG(kg
CO2 eq per kg)
China
China
14.1
1.23
Mozambique
U.S.
6.1
Sweden
Sweden
3.1
Streamlined Life Cycle Assessment Study of
Global Anode Grade Natural Graphite Manufacturing, Minviro, March
2022.
LCA of Natural Graphite-Based Products
Manufactured by NMG, CT Consultant, July 2022.
These results provide a competitive advantage for NMG as
potential customers seek to secure sources of low‑carbon supply to
reduce their Scope 3 emissions and comply with increasingly
stringent environmental regulations.
In partnership with First Nations, communities, and key
stakeholders, NMG strives to be a model in the development of its
ore-to-battery-material operations to drive greater sustainability
into its sector and the industries it serves. The Company
prioritizes the wellbeing of employees, business partners, and
communities as well as environmental stewardship. The Company
regards diversity and robust governance as important drivers of
strategy, creative thinking, and business performance.
Responsible mining practices, such as dry-stacking and
co-disposal of tailings, backfilling, progressive restoration and
water stewardship, greener manufacturing technologies and
innovation are embedded into the Company’s business model.
Leveraging Québec’s hydroelectricity, the Company is committed to
adopting clean energy sources and technologies at every level, as
demonstrated by its collaboration with Caterpillar Inc. to develop
an integrated solution covering a zero-exhaust emission fleet,
infrastructure, and services for NMG’s Matawinie Mine.
Geopolitics Reinforce Responsible Sourcing of
Graphite
The release of Benchmark’s Graphite Sustainability Index comes
as China and the U.S. sharpen their respective trade instruments
targeting graphite materials and other critical minerals. China
previously announced restrictions on Chinese graphite materials
came into effect on December 1st, 2023. Chinese companies must now
obtain a government-issued export permit to sell certain graphite
products internationally. China currently controls 65% of the
natural graphite global production (US Geological Survey, January
2023) and over 99% of spherical graphite refining for lithium-ion
batteries (Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, Q3-2023).
On the same day, the U.S. Government issued its guidance as to
battery material sources from which foreign entities of concern
(“FEOC”) are not eligible for EV tax credits under the Inflation
Reduction Act (“IRA”). Manufacturing companies’ location,
ownership, as well as technology licenses tied to China, North
Korea, Iran, and Russia are specifically targeted by this
measure.
These recent political developments reaffirm the importance of
establishing of a local, resilient, and ESG-compliant supply chain
of graphite to support battery and EV production. NMG is targeted
to become the largest natural graphite producer in North America,
fully integrated from ore to anode material, and with demonstrated
sustainability performance.
About Nouveau Monde Graphite
Nouveau Monde Graphite is striving to become a key contributor
to the sustainable energy revolution. The Company is working
towards developing a fully integrated source of carbon-neutral
battery anode material in Québec, Canada, for the growing
lithium-ion and fuel cell markets. With enviable ESG standards, NMG
aspires to become a strategic supplier to the world’s leading
battery and automobile manufacturers, providing high-performing and
reliable advanced materials while promoting sustainability and
supply chain traceability. www.NMG.com
About Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
Benchmark enables the energy transition through a world-class,
independent offering of lithium and critical minerals prices,
battery, and EV supply chain data forecast subscriptions, advisory
services, and industry-specific events. Benchmark’s clients are
major decision makers across critical minerals, battery materials,
lithium-ion batteries, and automotive OEMs.
Benchmark is the world’s only Price Reporting Agency (PRA)
audited to the highest Type 2 IOSCO standard across the suite of
raw material prices it publishes. Benchmark sets reference and
benchmark prices for lithium and other key battery raw materials
and chemicals, including graphite, anode, nickel, cobalt, cathode,
PCAM, black mass (battery recycling) and battery cells.
www.BenchmarkMinerals.com
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Cautionary Note
All statements, other than statements of historical fact,
contained in this press release including, but not limited to those
describing the intended production of high-performing active anode
material with carbon-neutral footprint, NMG’s competitive advantage
in relation to market trends and environmental regulations, NMG’s
intended ESG-centered business model, trends in legislation,
consumer preferences, and industry standards, NMG’s expected Global
Warming Potential, NMG’s intended all-electric mining operations
and its collaboration with Caterpillar Inc., NMG’s performance with
respect to the initiatives described in this press release, and
those statements which are discussed under the “About Nouveau
Monde” paragraph and elsewhere in the press release which
essentially describe the Company’s outlook and objectives,
constitute “forward-looking information” or “forward-looking
statements” (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the
meaning of Canadian and United States securities laws, and are
based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the time of
this press release. Forward-looking statements are necessarily
based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while
considered reasonable by the Company as of the time of such
statements, are inherently subject to significant business,
economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These
estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Moreover,
these forward-looking statements were based upon various underlying
factors and assumptions, including the current technological
trends, the business relationship between the Company and its
stakeholders, the ability to operate in a safe and effective
manner, the timely delivery and installation at estimated prices of
the equipment supporting the production, assumed sale prices for
graphite concentrate, the accuracy of any Mineral Resource
estimates, future currency exchange rates and interest rates,
political and regulatory stability, prices of commodity and
production costs, the receipt of governmental, regulatory and third
party approvals, licenses and permits on favorable terms, sustained
labor stability, stability in financial and capital markets,
availability of equipment and critical supplies, spare parts and
consumables, the various tax assumptions, CAPEX and OPEX estimates,
all economic and operational projections relating to the project,
local infrastructures, the Company’s business prospects and
opportunities and estimates of the operational performance of the
equipment, and are not guarantees of future performance.
Forward-looking statements are subject to known or unknown risks
and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ
materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking
statements. Risk factors that could cause actual results or events
to differ materially from current expectations include, among
others, those risks, delays in the scheduled delivery times of the
equipment, the ability of the Company to successfully implement its
strategic initiatives and whether such strategic initiatives will
yield the expected benefits, the availability of financing or
financing on favorable terms for the Company, the dependence on
commodity prices, the impact of inflation on costs, the risks of
obtaining the necessary permits, the operating performance of the
Company’s assets and businesses, competitive factors in the
graphite mining and production industry, changes in laws and
regulations affecting the Company’s businesses, including the
changes in China’s policy regarding restrictions on Chinese
graphite materials exportations, political and social acceptability
risk, environmental regulation risk, currency and exchange rate
risk, technological developments, the impacts of the global
COVID-19 pandemic and the governments’ responses thereto, and
general economic conditions, as well as earnings, capital
expenditure, cash flow and capital structure risks and general
business risks. A further description of risks and uncertainties
can be found in NMG’s Annual Information Form dated March 23, 2023,
including in the section thereof captioned “Risk Factors”, which is
available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on EDGAR at
www.sec.gov. Unpredictable or unknown factors not discussed in this
Cautionary Note could also have material adverse effects on
forward-looking statements.
Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can directly or
indirectly affect, and could cause, actual results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking
statements. There can be no assurance that forward-looking
statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future
events could differ materially from those anticipated in such
statements. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose
of providing information about management’s expectations and plans
relating to the future. The Company disclaims any intention or
obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to
explain any material difference between subsequent actual events
and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required
by applicable law.
The market and industry data contained in this press release is
based upon information from independent industry publications,
market research, analyst reports and surveys and other publicly
available sources. Although the Company believes these sources to
be generally reliable, market and industry data is subject to
interpretation and cannot be verified with complete certainty due
to limits on the availability and reliability of raw data, the
voluntary nature of the data-gathering process and other
limitations and uncertainties inherent in any survey. The Company
has not independently verified any of the data from third-party
sources referred to in this press release and accordingly, the
accuracy and completeness of such data is not guaranteed.
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 release.
Further information regarding the Company is available in the
SEDAR+ database (www.sedarplus.ca), and for United States readers
on EDGAR (www.sec.gov), and on the Company’s website at:
www.NMG.com
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231206473965/en/
MEDIA Julie Paquet VP Communications & ESG Strategy
+1-450-757-8905 #140 jpaquet@nmg.com
INVESTORS Marc Jasmin Director, Investor Relations
+1-450-757-8905 #993 mjasmin@nmg.com
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