NextSource Materials Successfully Registers Trademark for SuperFlake® Graphite in South Korea
Adds to Trademark Registrations in Japan and European Union
TORONTO, Oct. 25, 2018 - Nextsource Materials Inc. (TSX:NEXT) (OTCQB:NSRCF) (“NextSource” or “the Company”), is pleased to announce that it has successfully registered SuperFlake® as a trademark in South Korea.
The registration of the SuperFlake® trademark means that NextSource now has the exclusive right to use this trademark on all natural graphite sold in South Korea that it produces from its feasibility-stage Molo Graphite Project in Madagascar.
In addition to South Korea, NextSource has registered trademark status of SuperFlake® in Japan and the entire European Union, which NextSource was previously awarded back in January 2018 and August 2017 respectively. The Company also applied for and is expecting to being awarded the exclusive right to use SuperFlake® in North America. These key jurisdictions represent the top demand markets for flake graphite and the locations where NextSource intends to sell its SuperFlake® graphite concentrate.
Trademark Registration Follows 10-Year Offtake Agreement with Japanese Graphite Supplier to Electric Vehicles
This latest registration marks NextSource’s success in obtaining exclusive use of SuperFlake® in the world’s premier geographic regions for high-end battery manufacturing for electrical vehicle applications. Japan and South Korea are global leaders in EV battery manufacturing and together supply Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Ford, BMW and General Motors.
This follows the Company’s October 16th news release announcing the signing of a ten (10) year binding Offtake Agreement with a prominent Japanese Graphite Trading Company to purchase 20,000 tonnes per annum of NextSource’s SuperFlake® graphite for use in battery anode applications for electrical vehicles (“EV”).
The Japanese Company is a major supplier of flake graphite to Japan’s largest battery processor and manufacturer of graphite anode material in lithium ion batteries for electric vehicle applications. This battery anode manufacturer currently has over 50 percent market share of premium-grade graphite anode production in Japan for electric vehicle battery applications. Its EV automotive customers are global.
To read the October 16th news release in its entirety, please visit the Company’s website at http://nextsourcematerials.com/media/press-releases.
About SuperFlake® High-Quality Graphite Concentrate
As detailed in the Company’s 2017 Feasibility Study, NextSource’s SuperFlake® graphite concentrate can achieve 98% carbon (C) purity with simple flotation alone, has excellent thermal expansion, can be easily upgraded to 99.97% purity (battery grade) and contains no deleterious substances. The Company’s SuperFlake® graphite concentrate also has excellent flake size distribution that is well above the global average, with 46.4 percent being classified as +80 (large), +65 (extra large) and +48 (jumbo) mesh in flake size. Specifically 23.6 percent of SuperFlake® graphite concentrate is +48 mesh and greater in size.
Qualified Persons
Mr. Craig Scherba, P.Geo., President and CEO, is the qualified person who reviewed and approved the technical information provided in this press release.
ABOUT NEXTSOURCE MATERIALS INC.
Nextsource Materials Inc. is a mine development company based in Toronto, Canada, that is developing its 100%-owned Molo Graphite Project in southern Madagascar. The Molo Graphite Project is a feasibility-stage project and ranks as one of the largest-known and highest quality flake graphite deposits in the world and the only project with SuperFlake® graphite.
For further information contact: +1.416.364.4911
Brent Nykoliation, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development at brent@nextsourcematerials.com or Craig Scherba, President and CEO at craig@nextsourcematerials.com
Safe Harbour: This press release contains statements that may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the terms of the Offtake Agreement, results of the updated 2017 Feasibility Study, any and all product test results and product analysis, any statements relating to the further partnership and value added opportunities, production at the Molo project, delivery of the material and pricing terms. These are based on current expectations, estimates and assumptions, and although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, actual results or developments may vary and, in some instances, differ materially from those anticipated by the Company and described in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur or, if any of them do so, what benefits the Company will derive there from. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws.