VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/22/14 -- RB Energy Inc. (the "Company" or "RBI" or RB Energy") (TSX: RBI)(OTCQX: RBEIF) is pleased to report that with temperatures in the Val d'Or area of Quebec rising, the Quebec Lithium concentrator was successfully restarted last week as planned. Production volumes from the concentrator are gradually being increased to enable the restart of the hydromet circuit by the end of this week. In Q2 throughputs will gradually be increased and, with the ore sorter commissioning commencing by the end of Q2, will enable commercial production levels to be achieved as scheduled in Q3. The first sales of battery grade lithium carbonate are expected to commence in May.
By the end of Q3 the crushing circuit of the concentrator will be completely winterized, enabling lithium carbonate production year round going forward.
Commenting on the restarting of the Quebec Lithium operation, Richard Clark, President and CEO, said: "Mother nature has finally decided to allow spring to arrive. This winter in Quebec was extremely challenging. With the long duration of extremely cold temperatures, and incomplete winterization at the plant, it was not possible to operate the concentrator for the better part of 5 months. Despite this situation, we were able to successfully commence commissioning of the hydromet section of the plant and we achieved a very high grade battery product in March. With all components of the Quebec Lithium complex in operation, we now look forward to delivering into our offtake contracts.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our shareholders, bankers, other investors and offtake partners for their support and patience. I would also like to thank our employees for their continued commitment and determination. It has been a long road with numerous challenges, but we are very excited about being so close to achieving our goal of being a new, high quality, strategic, lithium carbonate producer."
RBI is a Canadian company formed pursuant to the arrangement involving Sirocco Mining Inc. and Canada Lithium Corp. It currently owns Aguas Blancas, an iodine producing mine in northern Chile, and the Quebec Lithium Project near Val d'Or, the geographical heart of the Quebec mining industry. The Aguas Blancas mine is currently in production. The Quebec Lithium Project has completed construction and is in the commissioning phase. For more information regarding RBI, please refer to its public filings available at www.sedar.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information contained in this news release, including any information relating to the state of the lithium and iodine industries; statements regarding our ability and the timing to achieve and sustain commercial production and name-plate production levels of iodine; our ability to secure commercial orders from our customers; and our ability to become a material player in the lithium market are "forward-looking statements". These forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the Company's expectations regarding the future growth, results of operations, business prospects and opportunities of RBI. These forward-looking statements also reflect the Company's current internal projections, expectations or beliefs and are based on information currently available to the Company. In some cases forward-looking information can be identified by terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "projects", "potential", "scheduled", "forecast", "budget" or the negative of those terms or other comparable terminology. The estimates and assumptions of RBI underlying the forward-looking statements in this news release may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions upon which such forward-looking information include, among other things, successful and timely commissioning, ramp-up and production at the Quebec Lithium Project; the lack of any further significant capital expenditures during the commissioning stage or to bring the hydrometallurgical process plant into production; the continuing support and cooperation of RBI's off-take partners; as well as financial predictions premised on such assumptions. Although the Company believes that the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on reasonable assumptions, readers cannot be assured that actual results will be consistent with such statements. Accordingly, readers are cautioned against placing undue reliance on forward-looking information. RBI expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Contacts:
RB Energy Inc.
Sophia Shane
(604) 689-7842
sophias@namdo.com
www.rb-e.com
