Gratomic Inc. Announces 15-Year Renewal of Mining Licence ML215 in Namibia

The most recent news release (January 8, 2026) announces that Gratomic Inc. has successfully renewed its Mining Licence ML215 for the Aukam Graphite Mine in Namibia for an additional 15 years, extending its validity to March 2040. The company also reported that the on-site processing plant completed performance testing in October 2025. Management intends to remobilize the operational team to site. However, the release contains a significant disclaimer: the company has not delineated any mineral resources or reserves, and its production decision is not based on a feasibility study.

The 15-year license renewal is a material positive for the company's long-term survival, as it removes the immediate risk of losing its flagship asset. Without this license, the company would have no path to revenue. The successful plant testing in October 2025 suggests technical progress.

However, the material impact is severely dampened by the following: - Regulatory Paralysis: Trading data shows the stock has been inactive with zero volume since May 8, 2025, following a Failure-to-File Cease Trade Order (FFCTO). The news does not confirm that the audit for the year ended December 31, 2024, has been completed or that the CTO has been lifted. - Extreme Operational Risk: Proceeding to production without an NI 43-101 compliant resource or a Feasibility Study (FS) is a "cowboy" mining strategy. It significantly increases the risk of economic and technical failure, as capital costs and recovery rates are not independently verified.

Gratomic Inc. is focused on becoming a supplier of vein graphite for the electric vehicle battery supply chain (anode material). - Flagship Project: Aukam Graphite Mine, Namibia. - Asset Characteristics: High-quality vein graphite. - Strategy: Fast-track to production by bypassing standard feasibility stages.