European Lithium Limited (ASX: EUR, FRA: PF8, OTC: EULIF) (European Lithium or the Company) is pleased to announce Critical Metals Corp. (Critical Metals or CRML) has entered into a share subscription facility for up to US$125.0M from GEM Global Yield LLC SCS (GEM), a Luxembourg based private alternative investment group. Proceeds from the facility are expected to be used to fund the development of the Wolfsberg Lithium Project in Austria (Wolfsberg or Wolfsberg Project).
HIGHLIGHTS
- Critical Metals has signed an agreement for a share subscription facility for up to US$125.0M in transaction funding from Global Emerging Markets (GEM)
- Critical Metals expects to provide an update on further equity funding in the near term
- Funding will principally be used to accelerate the development of the Wolfsberg Lithium Project in Austria.
Tony Sage, Chairman, commented: “Receiving this significant and binding commitment is a huge milestone for the Company. Combined with European Lithium’s recent deal with Saudi Arabian based, Obeikan Investment Group, the Company and Critical Metals have secured approximately 65% of the total expected capex of the Wolfsberg Project and brings us closer to our stated goal to be the first local producer of lithium spodumene for the green energy transition in Europe.”
Under the terms of the definitive agreement, Critical Metals will have access to up to US$125.0M in incremental capital to fund its operations upon closing of the business combination transaction. The facility would enable Critical Metals, in its discretion but subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the definitive agreements, to draw down funds (up to US$125.0M) through the issuance of new shares directly to GEM over a three-year period after the closing of the transaction. Assuming no further redemptions are made by public stockholders of Sizzle Acquisition Corp. (Sizzle) in connection with its shareholder vote to approve the transaction, Critical Metals would now be expected to have access to up to ~US$175.0M in transaction proceeds (comprising of the GEM finance package and existing cash reserves).
The GEM finance package, together with European Lithium’s additional funding secured through the binding term sheet with Obeikan Investment Group (Obeikan)(refer to EUR announcement dated 2 June 2023), are expected to provide Critical Metals and European Lithium with significant capital to accelerate the development of the Wolfsberg Project once the transaction with Sizzle completes.
The Company can report substantial progress has been made in the development plan for the Wolfsberg project with the achievement of several key milestones highlighted by:
- Mining permit secured – spodumene mined from the project successfully demonstrated its capability to supply high-purity lithium (99.6% lithium carbonate equivalent) at pilot plant.
- Mineral Resource Estimate1 – 12.88 Mt of Measured, Indicated and Inferred classified Resources at 1.00% Li2O grade in Zone 1 only:
- Binding agreement to build hydroxide plant – partnership with Obeikan to build lithium hydroxide processing plant in Saudi Arabia with significant cost savings expected.
- Advanced project with drilling upside – established mine and current resource estimate based only on Zone 1 with drilling undertaken showing prospectivity in Zone 2.
For full details of the DFS, please refer to EUR announcement dated 8 March 2023, “Wolfsberg Lithium Project Definitive Feasibility Study Results”. The Mineral Resources underpinning the Ore Reserve have been prepared by a competent person in accordance with the requirements of the JORC Code (2012). The Competent Person’s Statement(s) are found in the section of this ASX release titled “Competent Person’s Statement(s)”. European Lithium confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in that release. All material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in that ASX release continue to apply and have not materially changed.
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