South Star Battery Metals Corp. ("South Star" or the "Company") (TSXV:STS)(OTCQB:STSBF), is pleased to announce that it that it has successfully completed a second tranche of its non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") of units (the "Units") for gross proceeds to the Company of US$1,312,528 (CA$1,837,538.78). When combined with the proceeds from Tranche 1, the gross proceeds of the Private Placement to the Company total US$2,120,550.55 (CA$2,968,769.62). Proceeds from the Private Placement will be used for exploration, development, production activities, as well as corporate G&A and general working capital requirements.
Tranche 2 of the Private Placement consists of issuing 3,052,390 Units consisting of a common share priced at US$0.43 (CA$0.602) and 3,052,390 common share purchase warrants. Each warrant is exercisable into one common share at a price of US$0.89 (CA$1.246) for 5 years from the date of issue (the "Warrants") subject to an acceleration clause (described in more detail below). The Units and Finder's Shares issued pursuant to the Private Placement will be subject to a four-month hold period. Closing of the Private Placement is subject to customary closing conditions, including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. In connection with the second tranche closing of the Private Placement, the Company paid finder's fees of US$32,813.20 (CA$45,938.48) and issued 61,046 common shares (the "Finders Shares").
Insiders of the Company participated in the Private Placement for an aggregate amount of $812,528 for 1,889,600 Units. The transaction with the officer constitutes a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on the exemptions under section 5.5(a) and section 5.7(1)(a) from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101, as the fair market value of the Units issued to the related party and the consideration paid by the related party under the Private Placement does not exceed 25% of Company's market capitalization, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. The Company did not file a material change report in respect of the related party transaction at least 21 days before the closing of the Private Placement, as the details of the participation by related party of the Company were not settled until shortly prior to closing of the Private Placement.
Acceleration Clause
The acceleration clause of the Warrants and Finder's Warrants will provide that, if, during any period of ten (10) consecutive trading days between the date that is four (4) months following the closing of the Private Placement and the expiry of the Warrants and Finder's Warrants, the daily volume weighted average trading price of the common shares of the Company on the TSX Venture Exchange (or such other stock exchange where the majority of the trading volume occurs) is equal to or exceeds US$1.79 (CA$2.506) on each day, the Company may, within thirty (30) days of such an occurrence, give notice, via news release, to the holders of the Warrants and Finder's Warrants that all unexercised Warrants and Finder's Warrants will expire at 4:00 p.m. (Vancouver time) on the 30th day following the giving of such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the holders of the Warrants and Finder's Warrants will have thirty (30) days to exercise their Warrants and Finder's Warrants and any Warrants and Finder's Warrants that remain unexercised will expire.
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About South Star Battery Metals Corp.
South Star is a Canadian battery-metals project developer focused on the selective acquisition and development of near-term production projects in the Americas. South Star's Santa Cruz Graphite Project, located in Southern Bahia, Brazil is the first of a series of industrial- and battery-metals projects that will be put into production. Brazil is the second-largest graphite-producing region in the world with more than 80 years of continuous mining. Santa Cruz has at-surface mineralization in friable materials, and successful large-scale pilot-plant testing (> 30 tonnes) has been completed. The results of the testing show that approximately 65% of graphite concentrate is +80 mesh with good recoveries and 95%-99% graphitic carbon (Cg). With excellent infrastructure and logistics, South Star Phase 1 is ramping up commercial production with first sales expected to be delivered in October 2024. Santa Cruz Phase 1 commercial production has a nameplate capacity of 12,000 tpy and is the first new graphite production in the Americas since 1996. Phase 2 production (25,000 tpy) is partially funded and planned for 2026, while Phase 3 (50,000 tpy) is scheduled for 2028.
South Star's second project in the development pipeline is strategically located in Alabama, U.S.A. in the center of a developing electric-vehicle, aerospace, and defense hub in the southeastern United States. The BamaStar Project includes a historic mine active during the First and Second World Wars. A NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment will be filed on SEDAR+. Trenching, Phase 1 drilling, sampling, analysis, and preliminary metallurgical testing have been completed. The testing included a traditional crush/grind/flotation concentration circuit that achieved grades of approximately 94-99% Cg with approximately 90% recoveries. The vertically integrated production facilities include a mine and industrial concentrator in Coosa County, AL and a downstream value-add plant in Mobile, AL, which will be upgrading natural flake graphite concentrates from both Santa Cruz and BamaStar mines. South Star is executing on its plan to create a multi-asset, diversified battery-metals company with near-term operations in strategic jurisdictions. South Star trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol STS, and on the OTCQB under the symbol STSBF.
South Star is committed to a corporate culture, project execution plan and safe operations that embrace the highest standards of ESG principles, based on transparency, stakeholder engagement, ongoing education, and stewardship. To learn more, please visit the Company website at http://www.southstarbatterymetals.com.
This news release has been reviewed and approved for South Star by Richard Pearce, P.E., a "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101 and President and CEO of South Star Battery Metals Corp.
On behalf of the South Star Board of Directors,
MR. RICHARD L. PEARCE, President & Chief Executive Officer
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to statements regarding moving Santa Cruz into production and scaling operations as well as advancing the Alabama project; and the Company's plans and expectations.
Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections.
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.
