Brisbane, Queensland, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 25, 2024) - Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd. (TSXV: GMG) (OTCQX: GMGMF) ("GMG" or the "Company") announces that the Company has signed a Queensland Critical Minerals and Battery Technology Fund Agreement with the State Government of Queensland for a grant of AU$ 2 million towards the funding of GMG's proposed Automated Battery Pilot Plant for the manufacture of GMG's Graphene Aluminium Ion Battery.
The State Government of Queensland established the Queensland Critical Minerals and Battery Technology Fund to support Australian business to compete globally by enhancing the extraction and processing of critical minerals in Queensland, accelerating the development of battery technologies and production of precursor or advanced materials in Queensland and supporting Queensland jobs and economic growth.
The grant is for the payment of 50% of the capital cost of GMG's proposed Automated Battery Pilot Plant, up to a maximum of AU$ 2 million, for the manufacture of GMG's Graphene Aluminium Ion Battery. The Pilot Plant would be constructed at GMG Richland's existing manufacturing facility, and the grant is conditional on various preconditions including GMG taking a final investment decision in the Battery Pilot Plant project.
GMG's CEO Craig Nicol stated, "We want to thank the Queensland Government and acknowledge its commitment to supporting the Critical Mineral and Battery Manufacturing Industry in the State. This is great recognition for GMG and GMG's next generation Graphene Aluminium Ion Battery and further shows the progress of the battery's development. We are very excited about this next phase of its maturation."
GMG's Chairman and Non-Executive Director, Jack Perkowski, commented: "This represents further progress for the Company, and I congratulate GMG on its success in securing this grant. I also would like to thank the Queensland Government for recognising and supporting GMG in this phase of its battery's development."
Queensland Government Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick said:
"The Miles Labor Government is propelling Queensland through an energy transformation that will create jobs."
"I am so pleased that this new plant will create 12 good quality jobs. Projects like this are helping set the path in creating thousands of secure jobs for Queenslanders while providing the clean, reliable and affordable energy every household and business needs."
"The $100 million Queensland Critical Minerals and Battery Technology Fund is playing its part by supporting businesses across the supply chain like Redflow, Revolver Resources, and now GMG."
"GMG's innovative use of graphene, in partnership with UQ, is another example of our homegrown ingenuity that we will continue fostering here in Queensland."
"Their graphene aluminium-ion batteries could prove to be a real gamechanger on the world market and elevate Queensland's local battery industry to the next level."
About GMG GMG is a clean-technology company which seeks to offer energy saving and energy storage solutions, enabled by graphene, including that manufactured in-house via a proprietary production process.
GMG has developed a proprietary production process to decompose natural gas (i.e. methane) into its elements, carbon (as graphene), hydrogen and some residual hydrocarbon gases. This process produces high quality, low cost, scalable, 'tuneable' and low/no contaminant graphene suitable for use in clean-technology and other applications. The Company's present focus is to de-risk and develop commercial scale-up capabilities, and secure market applications.
In the energy savings segment, GMG has focused on graphene enhanced heating, ventilation, and air conditioning ("HVAC-R") coating (or energy-saving paint), lubricants and fluids. In the energy storage segment, GMG and the University of Queensland are working collaboratively with financial support from the Australian Government to progress R&D and commercialization of graphene aluminium-ion batteries ("G+AI Batteries").
GMG's 4 critical business objectives are:
Produce Graphene and improve/scale cell production processes
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
This news release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends", "expects" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or will "potentially" or "likely" occur. This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward‐looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding the use of funds from the grant, the production capacity of the proposed automated battery pilot plant, the location of the proposed automated battery pilot plant, the grant showing the progress of the GMG's battery's development, and the next phase of the battery's maturation.
Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions of management, including, without limitation, assumptions relating to the production capacity of the proposed automated battery pilot plant, that the funds from the grant will be used as management currently expects, that the proposed automated battery pilot plant would be built at the Company's existing manufacturing facility in Richland, that the grant shows the progress of the graphene aluminium ion battery's development, and that the maturation of the graphene aluminium ion battery will proceed as management currently expects.
Additionally, forward-looking information involves a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements of GMG to be materially different from any future plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks include, without limitation: that the use of funds from the grant will differ from management's expectations, that the automated battery pilot plant would not be capable of manufacturing approximately 1MWh per annum of GMG's graphene aluminium ion battery, that the proposed automated battery pilot plant will not be built at GMG's Richland facility, or at all, that the grant does not demonstrate the progress of the graphene aluminium ion battery's development, that the maturation of the graphene aluminium ion battery will not proceed as currently expected by management, risks relating to the extent and duration of the conflict in Eastern Europe and its impact on global markets, the volatility of global capital markets, political instability, the failure of the Company to obtain regulatory approvals, attract and retain skilled personnel, unexpected development and production challenges, unanticipated costs and the risk factors set out under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated October 12, 2023 available for review on the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca.
Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor.
