Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc. (“Nouveau Monde” or the “Company”)
(NYSE: NMG, TSXV: NOU) has submitted a patent application for its
proprietary thermochemical purification technology to the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office as part of its intellectual
property strategy. Leveraging Québec’s abundant, clean, and
affordable hydropower, the Company’s technology avoids using
hydrofluoric acid in favor of high temperatures and the addition of
chlor-based reagent.
Tests in labs and at third-party facilities have
already demonstrated the technology’s performance and the products’
high purity, reaching 99.95% and over. The Company’s Phase 1
purification facilities are in the final stages of commissioning,
prior to starting production, process optimization and material
qualification with potential customers. At the same time, Nouveau
Monde is carrying out its definitive feasibility study for the
Phase 2 plant in Bécancour, QC, Canada. The Company’s 200,000
m2 industrial site, adjacent to the Phase 1 location, is
intended to consolidate manufacturing facilities for the production
of 42,000 tpa of lithium-ion battery anode material and 3,000 tpa
of purified flakes for specialty applications.
In addition to energy applications, Nouveau
Monde’s thermochemical process has shown to be effective at
purifying larger particle sizes that are expected to allow the
Company to supply high-purity, carbon-neutral graphite flakes for
bipolar plates used in fuel cells, foils for heat dissipation in
electronics (5G), expandable graphite for fire retardant
applications and other specialty products.
Arne H Frandsen, Chairman of Nouveau
Monde, commented: “Research & Development is a
critical component of our business model. The filing of this
important patent application is a tangible manifestation of our
commitment to sustainable development and the success Nouveau Monde
has already achieved from its Center of Excellence in Québec.”
Eric Desaulniers, Founder, President and
CEO of Nouveau Monde, added: “I believe there is much
appetite in the marketplace for alternatives to China’s dominant
chemical-heavy processes. We have developed a technology that takes
full advantage of Québec’s green hydroelectric asset and operates
in a closed loop with our chemical supplier to minimize the
environmental footprint of our purified products. This patent
application reiterates our engagement towards R&D, innovation,
and environmental stewardship to drive greater sustainability into
the battery value chain.”
Reducing the Environmental Impact of
Graphite Purification
Graphite is the battery raw material that is
currently the most dependent on China. Existing purification
processes are energy intensive and require a large quantity of
chemicals, particularly hydrofluoric acid, that can have a negative
impact on the natural and human environment.
As demonstrated in a recent life-cycle analysis
of graphite production led by an independent mining and
metal sustainability consultancy, emerging technologies are
critical to reducing the footprint and Global Warming Potential
(“GWP”) of graphite value-added transformation. According to
the report “[t]here are significant opportunities to reduce the
environmental impact of anode production by utilizing low-carbon or
renewable energy sources, exploring new production routes,
minimizing waste products or identifying new material or reagent
suppliers” (Minviro, July 2021).
Hence, Nouveau Monde’s proprietary
thermochemical purification technology provides an advantageous
solution in clean energy regions to decarbonizing the graphite
supply chain and helping improve battery life cycle footprint. The
Company is committed to maximizing the reach of this technology to
serve the energy transition should the application process be
successful.
About Nouveau Monde
Nouveau Monde is striving to become a key
contributor to the sustainable energy revolution. The Company is
working towards developing a fully integrated source of green
battery anode material in Québec, Canada. Targeting commercial
operations by 2023, the Company is developing advanced
carbon-neutral graphite-based material solutions for the growing
lithium-ion and fuel cell markets. With low-cost operations and
enviable ESG standards, Nouveau Monde 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
Media |
Investors |
Julie Paquet VP
Communications & ESG StrategyNouveau Monde +1-450-757-8905
#140jpaquet@nouveaumonde.ca |
Christina Lalli Director,
Investor RelationsNouveau
Monde+1-438-399-8665 clalli@nouveaumonde.ca |
Subscribe to our news feed: https://NMG.com/investors/#news
Cautionary Note Regarding
Forward-Looking Information All statements, other than
statements of historical fact, contained in this press release
including, but not limited to those related to the results of the
filing of the Company’s patent application and whether a patent
will be granted, the intended use of the thermochemical
purification technology in the Company’s phase 1 demonstration and
phase 2 commercial facilities, the intended meeting by the Company
of the relevant industry specifications for its high-purity
graphite materials and its usage, the commencement of activities at
the phase 1 and phase 2 facilities, the intended level of
production at the phase 2 facility, the benefits of the technology,
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” within the meaning of certain 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 timely delivery and
installation of the equipment supporting the production, 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 information and 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 information and statements. Risk
factors that could cause actual results or events to differ
materially from current expectations include, among others, 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 favourable
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, 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.
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.
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.sedar.com), and for United
States readers on EDGAR (www.sec.gov), and on the Company’s
website at: www.NMG.com
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