NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / December 5, 2025 / Every major industrial shift begins quietly. A technology solves a problem no one believes can be solved, it sits in the background for a while, then a moment arrives when whole sectors suddenly realize the architecture beneath their operations has changed. That moment is unfolding around SMX (NASDAQ:SMX). The market is no longer reacting to a single development or headline. It is reacting to the discovery that SMX has built the one ingredient every mo ...

Core Points - Charbone Hydrogen Corporation has successfully completed a private placement raising a total of 1.013 million dollars, exceeding its initial target of 1 million dollars [1][2] - The funds will be used for the installation of hydrogen equipment at the Sorel-Tracy site and for the development of infrastructure to support long-term growth strategies [2][5] - The second tranche of the private placement involved the issuance of 9,183,334 units at a price of 0.06 dollars per unit, each consisting of one common share and one common share purchase warrant [3][5] Company Overview - Charbone Hydrogen Corporation specializes in the production and distribution of Ultra High Purity (UHP) hydrogen and strategic industrial gas distribution in North America and the Asia-Pacific region [4][6] - The company is developing a modular network for green hydrogen production and partners with industry players to offer helium and other specialty gases without the need for costly new plants [4][6] Financial Details - The proceeds from the share issuance will primarily be allocated to purchasing hydrogen equipment, installation at the Sorel-Tracy site, infrastructure development, and general working capital needs [5] - Each unit offered in the placement includes a warrant that allows the holder to purchase an additional common share at an exercise price of 0.08 dollars for a period of 24 months following the closing date [5]

CAPEX and Investments - Gerdau expects to invest R$6 billion in 2025 and R$47 billion in 2026, focusing on maintenance, coking plants, blast furnaces, and competitiveness[13] - Approximately 45% of the total estimated CAPEX for 2026 is allocated to three main projects: Midlothian Expansion, Scrap Processing in Pindamonhangaba, and Miguel Burnier Mining[18] - The Miguel Burnier sustainable mining platform has a CAPEX of R$36 billion between 2023 and 2026 and a potential EBITDA gain of approximately R$11 billion per year[99] Financial Management and Liquidity - Gerdau's average debt term is 72 years, with a gross debt of R$181 billion and cash reserves of R$90 billion, resulting in a net debt of R$91 billion and a net debt/EBITDA ratio of 085x[37] - The company has strong liquidity in US dollars, with 59% of its cash held in USD[40, 41] - Approximately 75% of free cash flow generated from 1Q18 to 2Q25 was allocated to shareholders through dividends and buybacks, with shareholder remuneration totaling R$174 billion and buybacks at R$33 billion[59, 60] Brazil Operations - Gerdau's Brazil operations have a crude steel capacity of approximately 78 million tons per year and a rolling capacity of approximately 82 million tons per year[76] - The company anticipates moderate growth prospects in Brazil for the segments in which it operates, including automotive (+14%), industry, agriculture, and other (+17%), and civil construction (+05%) in 2026[80] - Gerdau is investing in a new hot coil rolling capacity in Brazil, expecting a total available capacity of 1080kt/year in 4Q25 and a potential EBITDA of R$400 million per year[93, 98] North America Operations - Gerdau has re-balanced its operational footprint in North America to minimize shipments between countries and has captured additional business from import declines due to tariffs[149] - The company has increased SBQ new sales quoting in the US by 60%, indicating new local investment activity[149] - Gerdau is well-positioned in high-growth end-markets in North America, such as renewable energy and data centers, and is increasing capacity at its Midlothian mill with a R$12 billion investment and a potential EBITDA of R$275 million per year[159, 166, 172]

Group 1 - The Jiangsu-Germany Dialogue 2025 focused on low-carbon economy and green transition, gathering representatives from Chinese and German enterprises to explore cooperation avenues [1][4] - Changzhou has a solid industrial foundation with five industrial clusters each exceeding 100 billion yuan, particularly in high-end equipment, new energy, and new materials [4] - The scale of Changzhou's new energy industry surpassed 850 billion yuan in 2024, ranking among the top in China and providing broad cooperation space for enterprises [4] Group 2 - The Sino-German (Changzhou) Innovation Industry Park has attracted over 70 enterprises from German-speaking regions, with total investment exceeding 2.3 billion euros [5] - Changzhou and Germany have established 7 pairs of sister cities and strengthened exchanges through student and faculty programs, enhancing bilateral cooperation [6] - The Jiangsu-Germany Dialogue has become a key platform for promoting bilateral cooperation, emphasizing the potential of the Chinese market and the importance of integrating into local supply chains [7]

Project Overview - Arafura Rare Earths is developing the world's most advanced construction-ready rare earths project, offering a non-China alternative [1] - The Nolans Project has a mine life of over 38 years and is strategically located with access to existing infrastructure [28, 31, 47] - The project is construction-ready with environmental permits and approvals in place, and over US$40 million has been spent on site works to de-risk the project schedule [35] Financials and Funding - The project's NPV8 after tax is estimated at US$1,729 million (base) and US$2,549 million (incentive) [30] - The company is targeting 60% of equity funding through Cornerstone Investors [40] - Over US$1 billion of debt and completion support has been conditionally approved [40, 48] - NRFC has committed to a A$200 million investment [48] - KfW has an investment of US$113 million subject to conditions [40, 41] Market and Demand - The rare earth magnet exports to the US experienced a 93.3% year-on-year decline in May 2025 [13] - Demand for NdPr oxide is projected to grow at a 7% CAGR from 2024 to 2035, requiring an additional supply of nearly 60kt by 2035 [17] - Robotics is an emerging thematic with a CAGR of approximately 22% between 2024 and 2035, with humanoids forecast to be a US$5 Trillion market by 2050 [17] Production and Cost - The Nolans Project is projected to produce 4,440 tpa of NdPr oxide [28, 47] - The project is expected to be in the first quartile of the cost curve [29, 48] - The project will produce 573 tpa of SEG/HRE Oxide [29]