POWERING A CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE L I T H Presentation to the Annual General Meeting 24 November, 2014 I U M 1
DISCLAIMER This presentation is for information purposes only. Neither this presentation nor the information contained in it constitutes an offer, invitation, solicitation or recommendation in relation to the purchase or sale of shares in any jurisdiction. This presentation may not be distributed in any jurisdiction except in accordance with the legal requirements applicable in such jurisdiction. Recipients should inform themselves of the restrictions that apply in their own jurisdiction. A failure to do so may result in a violation of securities laws in such jurisdiction. This presentation does not constitute financial product advice and has been prepared without taking into account the recipients investment objectives, financial circumstances or particular needs and the opinions and recommendations in this presentation are not intended to represent recommendations to particular persons. Recipients should seek professional advice when deciding if an investment is appropriate. All securities transactions involve risks which include, amongst others, the risk of adverse or unanticipated market, financial or political developments. Certain statements contained in this presentation, including information as to the future financial or operating performance of ( Cobre Montana or the Company ) and its projects, are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, whilst considered reasonable by Cobre Montana, are inherently subject to significant technical, business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies; involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results reflected in such forward-looking statements; and may include, among other things, statements regarding targets, estimates and assumptions in respect of potash and phosphate production and prices, operating costs and results, capital expenditures, ore reserves and mineral resources and anticipated grades and recovery rates, and are or may be based on assumptions and estimates related to future technical, economic, market, political, social and other conditions. Cobre Montana disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. The words believe, expect, anticipate, indicate, contemplate, target, plan, intends, continue, budget, estimate, may, will, schedule and other similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements made in this presentation are qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements. Investors are cautioned that forward looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Many known and unknown factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results reflected in such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: competition; mineral prices; ability to meet additional funding requirements; exploration, development and operating risks; uninsurable risks; uncertainties inherent in ore reserve and resource estimates; dependence on third party smelting facilities; factors associated with foreign operations and related regulatory risks; environmental regulation and liability; currency risks; effects of inflation on results of operations; factors relating to title to properties; native title and aboriginal heritage issues; dependence on key personnel; and share price volatility and also include unanticipated and unusual events, many of which are beyond the Company s ability to control or predict. COMPETENT PERSON S STATEMENT The information in this report that relates to reporting of Exploration Results based on and fairly represents information and supporting documentation prepared by Adrian Griffin, who is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Griffin is a shareholder in, and Managing Director of Cobre Montana and has sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration. He is qualified as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves. Mr Griffin consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on information in the form and context in which it appears. 2
A POSITION OF STRENGTH Capital structure 84M Ordinary Shares 52M Partly Paid Shares 15M Unlisted Options Market cap. $4.6M Strong partnerships Perth based Strategic Metallurgy P/L providing technical support and access to proprietary technology Focus Minerals and Tungsten Mining providing access to areas of known mineralization Negotiating further positions on a global basis Exclusive licensing arrangements Strong lithium exploration and development prospects holds an option over the exclusive right to use proprietary lithium extraction technology in Western Australia, and any two other worldwide nominated projects. This may extend to 26 years. 3
LITHIUM THE METAL OF THE FUTURE WHAT IS LITHIUM? Lithium (chemical symbol Li) is the great enabler of the 21 st century. Lithium is the lightest solid element and is used in the manufacture of Computers, Communication devices and Consumer electronics (3C). Its other uses include medical applications, colours in fireworks, ceramics, high-temperature glass, lubricants, air purification, fuel cells, catalysts, nuclear technology and batteries. In fact, lithium is often described as the most versatile metal on Earth. WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT COBRE MONTANA? Cobre Montana is one of the few companies globally providing investors with a clear focus on lithium. Access to a NEW PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY creates the opportunity to process lithium minerals not previously considered to be ore. Exclusive licensing arrangements will create opportunities unavailable to competitors. 4
PROGRESS TO DATE 1 1. Option to acquire Ravensthorpe lithium pegmatites 2. Coolgardie Rare Metals Venture with FML 3. Work commences at CRMV 4. Lithium extraction technical assistance agreement 5. Float results from Lepidolite Hill 6. High-grade concentrates from Lepidolite Hill 7. Lithium pegmatites identified at Lake Seabrook 8. Battery grade Li carbonate produced by CXB 9. Quarterly report 10. Seabrook Rare Metals Venture with TGN 11. 25 year exclusive licence 9 10 11 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 5
THE PROJECTS The projects are all located in Western Australia, close to developed public infrastructure, including road, rail, power and mining services. 6
THE PROJECTS Coolgardie Rare Metals Venture (80% CXB, 20% FML) CRMV is an initiative of Cobre and Focus Minerals based on areas of high lithium pegmatites, 15km south of Coolgardie, WA. Prior mining at Lepidolite Hill has left about 400,000t of lepidolite-rich material in waste dumps. Proof-of-concept processing has produced batterygrade lithium carbonate, under the aegis of an alliance with Strategic Metallurgy. Extraction techniques developed for Lepidolite Hill will be applied to other lepidolite deposits. Ravensthorpe (Cocanarup) Lithium Pegmatite Project (Option to acquire 100%) Lithium and rare metals (Ta, Nb, Rb, Cs, Ga, Be etc) occur within the Cocanarup pegmatites, which are related to the nearby Mt Cattlin deposits. Cobre has rights to a large proportion of the Cocanarup pegmatite field. Pegmatites have been previously mined at Cocanarup for beryl and at Mt Cattlin for spodumene (lithium). Seabrook Rare Metals Venture (80% CXB, 20% TGN) The SRMV (Cobre and Tungsten Mining NL) is based on lithium pegmatites located 60km NE of Southern Cross, WA, which are regionally associated with tungsten skarns and contain lepidolite, beryl and tourmaline. 7
ACHIEVEMENT PROOF OF CONCEPT LEPIDOLITE-TO-LITHIUM PROOF-OF-CONCEPT 99.6% Battery Grade lithium carbonate from Lepidolite Hill with potassium sulphate by-product (ASX: 27 Oct 2014) The lepidolite lithium extraction process is protected by patent applications. Commercial success will be underwritten by exclusive processing rights to all lepidolite occurrences in Western Australia. Two additional floating licences, for application anywhere else in the world will provide CXB with a global advantage. CXB has projects under review, around the world to capitalize on the advantage provided by its exclusive licensing arrangements. Cobre Montana has taken lepidolite-to-lithium from concept to reality in just 3 months. 8
LEVERAGE FROM LEPIDOLITE COBRE MONTANA HAS: access to the only known, effective lepidolite processing technology exclusive licensing rights to use that Li extraction technology technical assistance agreement to optimize lithium extraction from lepidolite COBRE MONTANA HAS IDENTIFIED LEPIDOLITE: mineralization in Western Australia in waste dumps globally, and in current tailings discharge of operating mines COBRE MONTANA S PLAN IS TO CREATE VALUE FROM ITS STRATEGIC PARTERSHIPS BY: gaining first-mover advantage under the aegis of its licences developing a resource base to sustain lepidolite-to-lithium carbonate production creating value from waste streams with high lithium content. 9
THE MARKET CONSUMPTION & USES 10
THE MARKET - GREEN, PORTABLE POWER Aluminium 32% 6% 10% 22% 11% 17% Other Metallurgical powders Chemicals and pharmaceuticals Lubricants Lithium demand is increasing at 11%pa, driven largely by the battery market, which is expanding at 20%pa. Likely to accelerate, with anticipated production of Electric Vehicles expanding from 160,000 units currently to over 40,000,000 units by 2050. Batteries Lithium consumption by application Glass and ceramics 11
THE MARKET - LITHIUM SOURCES HARD-ROCK DEPOSITS about 50% of global supply Spodumene and petalite Li/Al silicates High-grade Found in Australia, Canada, Zimbabwe, and Portugal Low capital, high operating cost BRINE PRODUCERS about 50% of global supply Concentration from soluble salts Low-grade Found in Chile, Argentina and China High capital, low operating cost CLAY PRODUCERS mines in the process of development Hectorite from volcanic sources Low-grade Economics yet to be vindicated LEPIDOLITE the forgotten ore Low energy, high by-product credit 12
THE OVERLOOKED RESOURCE SIGNIFICANT Li SITTING IN MINE DUMPS Poor recoveries from calcine flowsheets Difficult to achieve product specification Separated and discarded as waste HYDROMETALLURGICAL PROCESSING PARADIGM New lithium extraction technology Atmospheric process Impurity control By-product credits Very low energy requirement ACCESS TO OVERLOOKED RESOURCES Primary lepidolite deposits Historic mine waste Current waste and by-product streams 13
THE MARKET - COMPETITION 1.6% 3.1% 11.3% 8.5% Argentina Australia 36.8% Brazil 38.2% Chile China Portugal 0.4% Zimbabwe Lithium production by country (source USGS 2013) HARD-ROCK PRODUCERS Talison, Greenbushes WA Sociedade Mineira de Pegmatite, Portugal Bikita Minerals (Pvt) Ltd, Zimbabwe Various producers in China RB Energy Inc, Quebec HARD-ROCK DEVELOPERS Hard rock lithium producers faced fierce competition in the 1980s as brine production in South America came on stream with low operating costs. However, Greenbushes Reed Resources, Mt Marion, WA still fulfils over 30% of global requirements and 75% of Pilbara Minerals, Pilgangoora, WA Chinese demand from pegmatite mining in the SW of WA. Greenbushes is the world s highest-grade lithium mine. Altura, Wodgina, WA Advances in processing technology, high demand and rising lithium carbonate prices have led to a resurgence in exploration and the commissioning of one new hard rock-operation in Canada. The ultimate drivers are cost and energy efficiency, which, with valuable by-product credits, will drive down the operating costs of lithium carbonate produced from lepidolite, with the potential to compete directly with the brine producers. 14
THE STRATEGY SUMMARY To leverage an exclusive technology and deliver Battery Grade Lithium Carbonate to market based on completed proof-of-concept testing. TO EXTRACT Li AND RARE METALS FROM Li MICA Mineral input lepidolite A common mineral Readily available Not presently used as Li chemical feed Significant K 2 SO 4 (potassium sulphate) credits Potential to extract Rb (rubidium) Cs (caesium) Sr (strontium) Ga (gallium) LOW COST OF PRODUCTION-COMPETITIVE EDGE Energy-efficient Low operating costs Cheaper than competing hard-rock deposits Comparable with brine producers 15
THE COBRE MONTANA ADVANTAGE SIGNIFICANT VALUE IN THE ALLIANCE WITH STRATEGIC METALLURGY Independently verified purity of Li carbonate from lepidolite Ongoing technical support and process optimization First mover advantage Licence exclusivity DIRECT ACCESS TO MINERALIZATION IN THREE AREAS Coolgardie Rare Metals Venture with Focus Minerals Limited Seabrook Rare Metals Venture with Tungsten Mining Limited Option to acquire Ravensthorpe ASSESSING OPPORTUNITIES ON A GLOBAL SCALE DEMAND DRIVEN BY GROWTH 3C technology expanding into developing countries Rapid uptake of electric vehicles COBRE MONTANA HAS EXCLUSIVE TECHNOLOGY RIGHTS WHICH WILL CREATE OPPORTUNITIES PREVIOUSLY UNRECOGNIZED 16
CONTACT ASX:CXB Adrian Griffin - 0418 927 658 info@cobremontana.com.au www.cobremontana.com.au 17