International Lithium Closes Final Tranche of $1,880,000 Private Placement

April 17, 2019 10:15 AM EDT | Source: International Lithium Corp.

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 17, 2019) - International Lithium Corp. (TSXV: ILC) (the "Company" or "ILC") is pleased to announce that it has closed the final tranche of its non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") of Units for proceeds of $148,759 On Closing, the Company issued 2,975,178 Units.

The securities were issued pursuant to a private placement of up to 50,000,000 units (each a "Unit") at a price of $0.05 per Unit to raise gross proceeds up to CAD $2,500,000. The total funds raised pursuant to this private placement is $1,880,000, or 37,600,000 Units. Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company and one-half of a transferable common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant is exercisable into one common share in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of $0.10 per share for two years from issue.

Three non-arms' length parties participated in this tranche of the private placement: CEO and director, John Wisbey, CFO and director, Maurice Brooks, and director, Ross Thompson.

The proceeds of the private placement will be used for exploration and the Company's Raleigh and Mariana projects and for general working capital purposes. All private placement securities will be restricted from trading for a period of four months plus one day from the date of closing.

Position Following Closing

On closing of this private placement, the Company has the following outstanding securities outstanding:

Common shares132,595,902
Convertible Debentures -
GBP 240,000 at $0.07, maturing 20195,862,857
CAD $280,000 at $0.085, maturing 20193,294,118
CAD $2,342,000 at $0.065, maturing 202036,030,769
Warrants at average exercise price of $0.1018,800,000
Stock Options at average exercise price of $0.099,085,000

 

Commenting on financing activities, John Wisbey, Chairman and CEO said, "We finally see some signs of an improvement in what has been a very difficult market for most if not all junior mining companies, with a recovery in several companies' share prices including our own. We are very grateful to all those who have invested a total of CAD $1.88 million in the most recent financing, which was very important for us.

"Since I became CEO just over a year ago, we have now raised CAD $1.88 million of equity and a further CAD $3.1 million equivalent in convertible debenture financing. This total of about CAD $5 million is considerably more than the amount raised by the Company in any previous year, despite the difficult market. We need to keep the momentum up, and so we are immediately moving on to our next private placement of up to CAD $1.0 million, which will complete our financing requirements for the first half of 2019. In our case, we hope that if drilling at Raleigh Lake proves successful, it could be transformational for the Company and justify the confidence by our investors."

The issuance of private placement securities to non-arms' length parties constitutes related-party transactions under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). Because the Company's shares trade only on the TSX Venture Exchange, the issuance of securities is exempt from the formal valuation requirements of Section 5.4 of MI 61-101 pursuant to Subsection 5.5(b) of MI 61-101 and exempt from the minority approval requirements of Section 5.6 of MI 61-101 pursuant to Section 5.7(b). The Company did not file a material change report 21 days prior to the closing of the private placement as the details of the participation of insiders of the Company had not been confirmed at that time.

New Private Placement at $0.06 Per Unit

The Company also announces that it will conduct a private placement of up to 16,666,667 units (each a "Unit") at a price of $0.06 per Unit for gross proceeds up to CAD $1,000,000, which may include directors of the Company. Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company and one-half of a transferable common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will be exercisable into one common share in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of $0.09 per share, until June 30, 2021. The proceeds of the private placement will be used for exploration on the Company's Raleigh and Mariana projects and for general working capital purposes.

The proposed issuance of private placement securities to non-arms' length parties also constitutes a related-party transaction under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). Because the Company's shares trade only on the TSXV, the issuance of securities is exempt from the formal valuation requirements of Section 5.4 of MI 61-101 pursuant to Subsection 5.5(b) of MI 61-101 and exempt from the minority approval requirements of Section 5.6 of MI 61-101.

About International Lithium Corp.

International Lithium Corp. has a significant portfolio of projects, strong management, and a strategic partner and key investor, Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium Co. Ltd., ("Ganfeng Lithium") a leading China-based lithium product manufacturer.

The Company's primary strategic focus is now on the Raleigh Lake project in Canada and the Mariana project in Argentina.

The Raleigh Lake project, consisting of 3,027 hectares of adjoining mineral claims in Ontario, is now regarded by ILC management as ILC's most significant project in Canada. It is 100% owned by ILC, is not subject to any encumbrances, and is royalty free.

The Company has a strategic stake in the Mariana lithium-potash brine project located within the renowned South American "Lithium Belt" that is the host to the vast majority of global lithium resources, reserves and production. The Mariana project strategically encompasses an entire mineral rich evaporite basin, totalling 160 square kilometres that ranks as one of the more prospective salars or 'salt lakes' in the region. Current ownership of the project is through a joint venture company, Litio Minera Argentina S. A., a private company registered in Argentina, which will shortly be owned 84.608% by Ganfeng Lithium and 15.392% by ILC. In addition, ILC has an option to acquire 10% in the Mariana project through a back-in right.

Complementing the Company's lithium brine project at Mariana and rare metal pegmatite property at Raleigh Lake, are interests in two other rare metal pegmatite properties in Ontario, Canada known as the Mavis Lake and Forgan Lake projects, and the Avalonia project in Ireland, which encompasses an extensive 50-km-long pegmatite belt.

The ownership of the Mavis Lake project is now 51% Pioneer Resources Limited (ASX: PIO, "Pioneer") and 49% ILC. In addition, ILC owns a 1.5% NSR on Mavis Lake. Pioneer has an option to earn an additional 29% by sole-funding a further CAD $8.5 million expenditures of exploration activities, at which time the ownership will be 80% Pioneer and 20% ILC.

The Forgan Lake project will, upon Ultra Lithium meeting its contractual requirements pursuant to its agreement with ILC, become 100% owned by Ultra Lithium, and ILC will retain a 1.5% NSR on Forgan Lake/Georgia Lake.

The ownership of the Avalonia project is currently 55% Ganfeng Lithium and 45% ILC. Ganfeng Lithium has an option to earn an additional 24% by either incurring CAD $10 million expenditures on exploration activities or delivering a positive feasibility study on the project, at which time the ownership will be 79% Ganfeng Lithium and 21% ILC.

With the increasing demand for high tech rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles and electrical storage as well as portable electronics, lithium has been designated "the new oil", and is a key part of a "green tech", sustainable economy. By positioning itself with solid strategic partners and projects with significant resource potential, ILC aims to be one of the lithium and battery metals resource developers of choice for investors and to continue to build value for its shareholders.

International Lithium Corp.'s mission is to find, explore and develop projects that have the potential to become world class lithium, and rare metal deposits. A key goal is to become a well funded company to turn that aspiration into reality.

On behalf of the Company,

John Wisbey
Chairman and CEO

www.internationallithium.com

For further information concerning this news release please contact +1 604-449-6520

Neither 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.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information or forward-looking statements in this or other news releases may include: the effect of results of the preliminary economic assessment of the Mariana Joint Venture Project, timing of publication of the PEA technical report, anticipated production rates, the timing and/or anticipated results of drilling on the Raleigh Lake or Mavis Lake projects, the expectation of feasibility studies, lithium recoveries, modeling of capital and operating costs, results of studies utilizing membrane technology at the Mariana Project, budgeted expenditures and planned exploration work on the Avalonia Joint Venture, satisfactory completion of the sale of mineral rights at Forgan Lake, satisfactory completion of the purchase of additional mineral rights at Raleigh Lake, increased value of shareholder investments, and continued agreement between the Company and Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium Co. Ltd. regarding the Company's percentage interest in the Mariana project. Such forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those discussed in the sections entitled "Risks" and "Forward-Looking Statements" in the interim and annual Management's Discussion and Analysis which are available at www.sedar.com. While management believes that the assumptions made are reasonable, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking information. Forward-looking information herein, and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on expectations, estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the time of such statements, are subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking information should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/44146

info