Electra Reports Q2 2023 Results and Provides Update on Cobalt Refinery Project and Black Mass Recycling Trial

Net income for the period was $12.0 million or $0.33 per share. The totals were driven by a gain of $14.4 million of fair value adjustments relating to the 2028 Notes and unrealized derivative financial liability gain.

Operating loss for Q2 2023 was $4.5 million, up from $3.9 million for Q2 2022. The increase was driven by higher compensation costs due to more staff and higher legal and professional fees, and partially offset by lower exploration costs for Iron Creek.

Held cash and marketable securities of $7.4 million as at June 30, 2023, down from $12.9 million as at March 31, 2022. The decline was primarily driven by capital costs related to the construction of the cobalt refinery project and costs related to the Company’s black mass trial. Electra’s cash balance at the end of Q2 2023 does not include the remaining $5.1 million of government investments expected to be received. Subsequent to quarter end, Electra completed an equity financing, generating gross proceeds of $21.5 million.

Progressed with the first plant-scale recycling of black mass material in North America using Electra’s proprietary hydrometallurgical process. Progress in Q2 was marked by high recoveries of critical metals, including lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, and graphite, needed for the EV battery supply chain, and the production of high-quality nickel-cobalt mixed hydroxide, graphite, and lithium carbonate products.

Released highlights of a desktop scoping study¹ focused on evaluating the economics of developing a modular process plant initially capable of processing 2,500 tonnes of black mass material per year. The scoping study determined that:

Released highlights of a re-baseline engineering report focused on determining the capital spend requirements for completing construction of a cobalt refinery complex capable of producing 5,000 tonnes of cobalt contained in sulfate per year. The updated capital spend total reflected the impacts of inflation, supply chain disruptions, and scope expansion since construction project was initiated. The total capital spend for completing the refinery project is currently estimated at $155 to $167 million of which $81.7 million of capitalized development costs have been incurred to date.

Signed a memorandum of understanding with the First Nation-owned Three Fires Group to form a joint venture focused on the recycling of lithium-ion battery waste in Ontario. The joint venture plans to recycle lithium-ion batteries and supply black mass to be processed at Electra’s refinery complex using the Company’s proprietary black mass processing capabilities that recover high value elements, including lithium, nickel, cobalt, and graphite, used to manufacture electric vehicle battery cells.

Appointed Peter Park, a senior finance professional with more than 20 years of experience, as Chief Financial Officer effective July 4, 2023.

Closed concurrent brokered and non-brokered private placements for aggregate gross proceeds of $21.5 million. Under the terms of the equity financings, the Company issued 19,545,454 units in aggregate, at a price of $1.10 per unit with each unit consisting of one common share and one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share at a price of $1.74 at any time on or before August 11, 2025. Electra intends to use the net proceeds of the equity financing to advance its black mass recycling strategy, its cobalt refinery, for working capital to retire existing payables, and general corporate purposes.

Extended and expanded the terms of its battery-grade cobalt supply agreement with LG Energy Solution whereby Electra will now supply 19,000 tonnes of contained cobalt in sulfate over a five-year period beginning in 2025, up from 7,000 tonnes over a three-year period when the supply agreement was first announced in September 2022.

Made the first customer shipment of nickel-cobalt produced at the Company’s refinery complex north of Toronto from recycled battery material.