MONTREAL, December 10, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lomiko Metals Inc. (TSX.V: LMR) ("Lomiko Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that effective December 19, 2024, Gordana Slepcev, currently Chief Operating Officer, will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer and Belinda Labatte remain as Executive Chair. The Company will not be replacing the Chief Operating Officer role.
Belinda Labatte, CEO and Interim Chair of the Board remarked: "As partners with shared values and vision for the growth of this business, Gordana and I see this change as the right leadership for the current phase of development and growth of the business. I am pleased to transition my role to Gordana Slepcev, and we are aligned with our shareholders invested in critical minerals development and advancing our natural flake graphite deposit in Quebec as a responsible and innovative developer. I look forward to working with the board and supporting the Company in our next phase of growth."
Gordana Slepcev is an operations-oriented leader with a proven track record in leading safe mining operations and creating value at all stages of mining development, she has demonstrated success in leading grant processes at all levels of government, bringing in non-dilutive capital to support project development.
Gordana Slepcev, M.Sc.P. Eng, brings over 25 years of proven operational experience to the role. She is a Professional Mining Engineer registered in Ontario with the global mining experience in developing, building, and leading safe and community friendly mining operations. Ms. Slepcev’s extensive experience spans multiple commodities, including gold, base metals, coal, and industrial minerals. She brings considerable experience in mineral exploration, permitting, corporate and regulatory/First Nations/ Indigenous relations, and project financing to Lomiko. Before joining the Company, Ms. Slepcev held the position of COO for BMSI, a privately held company based in Newfoundland, where she was responsible for restarting the barite reprocessing facility, mitigating historical environmental impacts, and overseeing EPCM contractors. She also formerly held the role of COO of Anaconda Mining, where she was responsible for the company’s operations and development of the Goldboro project. Ms. Slepcev graduated from the University of Belgrade with a M.Sc. and is the past Chair of the Toronto Chapter of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum (CIM). She is a WTPEO Vice Chair and committee member and a member of the Advisory Board of the OreBit platform.
The Board will continue to promote inclusive, creative and innovative approaches to responsible critical minerals development.
Annual General Meeting
Lomiko invites registered shareholders to attend the Company’s Annual General Meeting for an overview of Lomiko’s progress and investor relations efforts, market conditions and next phase of growth on December 19, 2024.
In light of the Canada Post strike, investors can vote their shares by completing their proxy document. All materials are located on the Company’s website at: https://lomiko.com/2024-agm/annual-general-meeting-2024/ and for further information, shareholders can email info@lomiko.com.
The Company holds mineral interests in its La Loutre graphite development in southern Quebec. The La Loutre project site is within the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg (KZA) First Nation’s territory. The KZA First Nation is part of the Algonquin Nation, and the KZA traditional territory is situated within the Outaouais and Laurentides regions. Located 180 kilometers northwest of Montreal, the property consists of one large, continuous block with 76 mineral claims totalling 4,528 hectares (45.3 km2).
The Property is underlain by rocks from the Grenville Province of the Precambrian Canadian Shield. The Grenville was formed under conditions that were very favorable for the development of coarse-grained, flake-type graphite mineralization from organic-rich material during high-temperature metamorphism.
Lomiko Metals published an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) in a NI 43-101 Technical Report and Mineral Resource Estimate Update for the La Loutre Project, Quebec, Canada, prepared by InnovExplo on May 11th, 2023, which estimated 64.7 million tonnes of Indicated Mineral Resources averaging 4.59% Cg per tonne for 3.0 million tonnes of graphite, a tonnage increase of 184%. Indicated Mineral Resources increased by 41.5 million tonnes as a result of the 2022 drilling campaign, from 17.5 million tonnes in 2021 MRE with additional Mineral resources reported down-dip and within marble units resulted in the addition of 17.5 million tonnes of Inferred Mineral Resources averaging 3.51% Cg per tonne for 0.65 million tonnes of contained graphite; and the additional 13,107 metres of infill drilling in 79 holes completed in 2022 combined with the refinement of the deposit and structural models contributed to the addition of most of the Inferred Mineral Resources to the Indicated Mineral Resource category, relative to the 2021 Mineral Resource Estimate. The MRE assumes a US$1,098.07 per tonne graphite price and a cut-off grade of 1.50% Cg (graphitic carbon).
In addition to La Loutre, Lomiko has earned-in its 49% stake in the Bourier Project from Critical Elements Lithium Corporation as per the option agreement announced on April 27th, 2021. The Bourier project site is located near Nemaska Lithium and Critical Elements south-east of the Eeyou Istchee James Bay territory in Quebec, which consists of 203 claims for a total ground position of 10,252.20 hectares (102.52 km2), in Canada’s lithium triangle near the James Bay region of Quebec that has historically housed lithium deposits and mineralization trends.
On behalf of the Board, Belinda Labatte CEO and Director, Lomiko Metals Inc.
For more information on Lomiko Metals, review the website at www.lomiko.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on expectations, estimates, projections and interpretations as at the date of this news release. The information in this news release about the Company; and any other information herein that is not a historical fact may be "forward-looking information" ("FLI"). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are FLI and can be identified by the use of statements that include words such as "anticipates", "plans", "continues", "estimates", "expects", "may", "will", "projects", "predicts", "proposes", "potential", "target", "implement", "scheduled", "intends", "could", "might", "should", "believe" and similar words or expressions. FLI in this new release includes, but is not limited to: the total gross proceeds of the Offering, the use of proceeds of the Offering, the timing and successful completion of the Offering; the Company’s ability to successfully fund, or remain fully funded for the implementation of its business strategy and for exploration of any of its projects (including from the capital markets);, and the expected timing of announcements in this regard. FLI involves known and unknown risks, assumptions and other factors that may cause actual results or performance to differ materially.
The FLI in this news release reflects the Company’s current views about future events, and while considered reasonable by the Company at this time, are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies. Accordingly, there can be no certainty that they will accurately reflect actual results. Assumptions upon which such FLI is based include, without limitation: the Company’s, ability to implement its overall business strategy and to fund, explore, advance and develop each of its projects, including results therefrom and timing thereof, the impact of increasing competition in the mineral exploration business, including the Company’s competitive position in the industry, and general economic conditions, including in relation to currency controls and interest rate fluctuations.
The FLI contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, the "Forward-Looking Statements" section contained in the Company’s most recent management’s discussion and analysis (MD&A), which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. All FLI in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable securities laws.
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 news release.
