Lithium Ionic Advances Construction Readiness at Bandeira; Secures Construction-Phase Water Access and Provides Engineering and Procurement Updates

Lithium Ionic Corp. (LTH) announced significant pre-construction progress at its 100%-owned Bandeira Lithium Project in Minas Gerais, Brazil, marking a transition from engineering toward execution planning. The company has secured an 18-month water lease, completed a refined three-year and life-of-mine plan, finalized basic engineering for underground mine portals, and initiated procurement tenders for major crushing equipment. These milestones serve to de-risk the project, validate the September 2025 Feasibility Study, and maintain momentum toward a final construction decision.

Regarding water access, the company executed an 18-month lease agreement with a local landowner in Araçuaí, Minas Gerais. This agreement secures direct access to the Jequitinhonha River for construction-phase water abstraction, utilizing an existing water-use authorization from the Agência Nacional das Águas (ANA).

In terms of mine planning, NCL Ingeniería y Construcción SpA completed a detailed three-year plan and refined the life-of-mine (LOM) plan. This work validates the September 17, 2025 Feasibility Study and refines the underground mine schedule, development sequencing, and initial production priorities.

The company also completed basic engineering for two underground mine portals in collaboration with Tractebel Engineering (part of the ENGIE group). This completion enables the portal construction tender process to advance.

On the procurement front, Lithium Ionic Corp. issued tenders for the Project’s main crushing units to five leading suppliers. Five proposals have been received and are currently under evaluation. The company continues to advance engineering, procurement, and construction-readiness activities to support site-level readiness and move toward a construction decision.

Blake Hylands, P.Geo., CEO, stated: “These milestones reflect continued progress across several important pre-construction workstreams at Bandeira. Securing access to reliable contruction-phase water access supportssite-level readiness, while the completion of updated mine planning, portal engineering and crusher tendering further advances the Project from engineering toward execution planning. Our team remains focused on disciplined engineering, procurement and construction-readiness activities as we continue to move Bandeira toward a construction decision.”