Lithium Ionic: 2025 Year in Review – Advancing Toward Construction in Brazil’s Lithium Valley

Core Viewpoint - Lithium Ionic Corp. has made significant progress in 2025, positioning itself for a successful transition into construction of its Bandeira Lithium Project in 2026, with a focus on permitting, engineering, and financing [2][3][20] Group 1: 2025 Highlights - The year 2025 saw substantial mineral resource growth, establishing Lithium Ionic as a leading hard-rock lithium developer in Brazil's Lithium Valley [4] - The company reported consolidated global mineral resources of 36.76 million tonnes grading 1.31% Li₂O in the Measured & Indicated category and an additional 31.87 million tonnes grading 1.19% Li₂O in the Inferred category [5] - The Bandeira Project's updated mineral resource estimate showed 27.27 million tonnes Measured & Indicated at 1.34% Li₂O and 18.55 million tonnes Inferred at 1.34% Li₂O, marking a 30% increase in Measured & Indicated tonnage compared to the previous year [6][7] Group 2: Project Development and Feasibility - An optimized Feasibility Study delivered in September 2025 highlighted Bandeira as one of the lowest-cost hard-rock spodumene projects globally, with a post-tax NPV(8%) of US$1.45 billion and a post-tax IRR of 61% [12][18] - Initial CAPEX was reduced to US$191 million, down approximately 28% from the prior study, and site operating costs are projected at US$378 per tonne of spodumene concentrate [18] - The company engaged RTEK International DMCC as a strategic advisor to enhance construction readiness and operational execution at Bandeira [11] Group 3: ESG and Permitting - The appointment of Flávia Veronese as Director of ESG strengthened the company's leadership in environmental, social, and governance initiatives, particularly in the permitting process for the Bandeira Project [14] - The company views recent environmental permitting discussions as constructive, enhancing clarity and confidence in the permitting framework for Bandeira and other assets [15] Group 4: Financial Position and Strategic Moves - In late 2025, Lithium Ionic closed an oversubscribed private placement totaling $18.3 million, significantly strengthening its balance sheet and supporting ongoing development activities [16] - The company terminated the K2 Option Agreement to focus on its most advanced and value-accretive assets, including the Bandeira Project [21][23] Group 5: 2026 Outlook - The company aims to complete the final steps required to transition the Bandeira Project into construction, with key priorities including advancing the permitting process and finalizing project financing [19][20]