Graphite Market Projected to Grow Thanks to Lithium-Ion Battery Production

NEW YORK, September 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

According to a report by Research and Markets, the global market for graphite reached $12.5 billion in 2016 and should reach $18.2 billion in 2021, while growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.7% from 2016 through 2021. The use of graphite in batteries have been increasing in the last 30 years, because it is a major component in large batteries and lithium-ion batteries. One area of focus in the development of natural graphite mining is the lithium-ion battery markets that are fundamentally changing the structure of the graphite industry. Berkwood Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: BKR), Mason Graphite Inc. (OTC: MGPHF), Graphite One Resources Inc. (OTC: GPHOF), Northern Graphite Corporation (OTC: NGPHF), Leading Edge Materials Corp. (OTC: LEMIF).      

The lithium-ion battery market is directly tied to the growing demand for electric vehicles. According to a report by Reuters, Consultants CRU Group stated, "Electric cars and plug-in hybrid vehicle sales could increase to 4.4 million in 2021 and reach more than 6 million by 2025." In addition, the consumer electronics market is expected to witness rapid growth in the coming years due to the strong demand for smartphones and other portable electronics in the Asia-Pacific region and other developing countries.

Berkwood Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: BKR) is currently listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker 'BKR'. Earlier today the company announced that it has substantially expanded its Lac Gueret Extensions project (South & East blocks). Owing to the success of its Phase-1 drill program since commencement, the Company decided to immediately acquire more claims adjacent to and on-trend with Mason Graphite.

Berkwood has acquired a further two hundred and ninety five (295) claims in its Lac Gueret Extensions project (South & East blocks) region, to extend the previously held 3,942Ha (hectares) covered by 73 claims to a new total of 19,884Ha covered by 368 claims. The newly controlled claims were acquired by direct staking (95 claims, 5,122Ha) and by purchase of additional claims from Mr. Francois Marcotte, an experienced area prospector (200 claims, 10,820Ha). Shareholders can view the Company's entire land position in relation to Mason Graphite and other landholders at the Company's website, http://berkwoodresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/2017-Berkwood-Location-and-Neighbours-Map-Topo.pdf. The newly acquired land parcels will be more fully described on the Company's web site in due course.

Hole BK1-07-17, co-located at Site #4 (section 3200E) with BK1-08-17 and drilled -45° to north with BK1-08-17 at -50° towards the south, allowed the Company to test the concept of the host structure being antiformal, as opposed to a synformal structure as initially inferred. The 142.34m BK1-07-17 returned graphite schist intercepts, notably over 18.5 - 19.58 (1.08m), 47.85 - 56.17 (8.82m) and 104.38 - 129.03 (24.65 m). Hole BK1-08-17 (187.75m to End of Hole, 'EOH') returned graphitic intercepts from 1.94 - 14.78 (12.84m), 69.76 - 71.49 (2.23m), 90.15 - 97.10 (6.95 m), 139.42 - 177.04 (37.62m). Site #5, about 71 m south of Site #4, is the location of hole BK1-09-17 (163.68m to EOH) drilled at -45° to the north, and returning variably graphitic intercepts at 11.1 - 18.21 (7.11m), 36.97 - 37.64 (0.67m), 66.81 - 68.75 (1.94m), 117.26 - 142.71 (25.45m) and 142.71 - 163.68 (20.97m & open).

Lac Gueret South is located in Cote Nord, Quebec, a three-hour drive from Baie-Comeau in an area of very good infrastructure. The Project directly borders, and now surrounds, Mason Graphite's (TSX-LLG) advanced Lac Gueret Project. Berkwood is currently drilling airborne and ground conductive anomalies at the Lac Gueret South's Zone 1 location as part of this initial program, where two distinct electromagnetic conductors appear to occur over a two kilometer strike length. The extent of the conductors and certain historic grab samples that returned visible graphite corroborated by laboratory assays motivated the present drilling program. The Company also has well developed targets at Lac Gueret South's Zone 2, which is located immediately south of the Mason Graphite claim boundary and along strike from the graphite zones of Mason Graphite. Edward Lyons PGeo (BC, QC, NL) is a Qualified Person under the definition of Canadian National Instrument 43-101, and has approved the technical information in this news release.

Tom Yingling, President and CEO states, "I would like to expand upon information available to shareholders regarding the Berkwood technical team: Ed Lyons (our project lead and Qualified Person) has been involved in numerous projects evolving from exploration to development stage since 1971. His strength is collaborating with mine development teams to ensure tight resource integration with development plans. Since 2000, Ed has worked extensively in industrial minerals, including graphite and iron oxide deposits in the Grenville Metamorphic Province in Quebec and Labrador. In 2000, Quinto Mining asked him to assess a potential graphite deposit near Lac Guéret. After the initial visit with another consultant, Ed spent several days prospecting areas away from the initial graphite showing located by Mr. Phil Boudrais of Sept-Isles, and located two significant graphite zones, the GR (Graphite Road) and GC (Graphite Cliff) that included numerous showings of significant crystalline graphite. Quinto then optioned the property and expanded it to cover the geology of an iron formation and associated geology with graphite. Mr. Lyons supervised field exploration between 2001 and 2005 during which period substantial graphite outcrop was exposed and sampled. Quinto's work included multiple drill campaigns that validated the deposits at depth, after which the company turned its attention to iron deposits in the region. Ed wrote all of the NI 43-101 and Assessment Reports on the Lac Gueret Property. The property subsequently became available, and Mason Graphite Inc. acquired it and initiated a mine development drilling campaign to delineate mineral resources and reserves for mine planning. Ed acted as the independent Qualified Person for the geology and resource parts of the Pre-feasibility and Feasibility NI 43-101 reports for Mason Graphite. In addition Ed was part of the mineral resources estimate team with Roche Ltd. (Montreal, QC) for Focus Graphite's Lac Knife Graphite Deposit south of Mont-Wright, QC, and consulted for a private investment group on Nouveau Monde Graphite's Matawinnie Deposit near Mont-Tremblant, QC. I believe Ed's experience in these graphite occurrences and their associated iron oxide deposits have helped Ed developed a broader understanding of what makes a successful graphite deposit. His expertise and experience within the space are unparalleled and are pivotal for the success of the company. In addition, we benefit greatly from the advisory experience of Mr. Michel Robert, Ed's erstwhile collaborator at Quinto. Michel has 45 years of experience in mining operations with major companies, including Quebec Cartier Mining Ltd., Teck Corp., SNC, Lac Minerals (now Goldcorp), AMEC, MineroPeru, Fluor Daniel and Pan American Silver Corp., where Michel's roles have ranged from Foreman to President. He has practical experience in operation, commissioning, design, construction, finance and due diligence, and graphite experience from due diligence and start-up of the ND-du-Laus graphite mine of Asbury Graphite Ltd. (now closed), and as VP of Quinto Mining Corp. responsible for the formation of the team and management of the Lac Guéret project until the sale of the company. Michel's 15 years of experience in Quebec for Teck Corporation, Quinto Mining Corp, Commerce Resources Ltd, and Critical Elements Corp. and his familiarity with regulations, social and physical infrastructure, government agencies and service providers at all stages of mine-life makes Michel a key contributor on our team." 

Mason Graphite Inc. (OTCQB: MGPHF) is a Canadian mining and processing company focused on the development of its 100% owned Lac Guéret natural graphite deposit located in northeastern Québec. On June 16, 2017, Mason Graphite and the Innu Council of Pessamit signed the Mushalakan Agreement, an Impact Benefit Agreement ('IBA') resulting from the 2014 Cooperation Agreement between the Parties. The Mushalakan Agreement, negotiated directly between the Pessamit Council and the executives of Mason Graphite, reflects the willingness of the Parties to work closely together to ensure that the Lac Guéret graphite mining project is a success and benefits the Pessamit Community and the population of Manicouagan. 

Graphite One Resources Inc. (OTCQB: GPHOF) continues to develop its Graphite One Project, whereby the Company could potentially become an American producer of high grade Coated Spherical Graphite that is integrated with a domestic graphite resource. The company recently announced that it has completed a non-brokered private placement offering (the 'Offering'), raising gross proceeds of CA$678,800. The net proceeds of the Offering will be used for exploration and development of the Company's Graphite Creek Project and for general working capital purposes.

Northern Graphite Corporation (OTCQX: NGPHF) is a Canadian company that has a 100% interest in the Bissett Creek graphite deposit located in southern Canada and relatively close to all required infrastructure. Recently, the company announced the results of additional metallurgical test work carried out on ore from the Bissett Creek deposit by BGRIMM, a Chinese state owned metallurgical research and development company. BGRIMM confirmed the high recoveries and high purities used in the Feasibility Study ('FS') and successfully increased the percentage of high value, +50 mesh XL flake in the final concentrate from 48 to 61 per cent.

Leading Edge Materials Corp. (OTCQB: LEMIF) focused on the material demands of a once-in-a-generation revolution, as the world shifts to the efficient production, storage and preservation of low carbon energy. Recently, the company announced the commencement of a VINNOVA funded research project, where the Company is a founding participant, involving the use of graphite and graphene in high performance polymeric composite materials. The project, entitled 'Graphene Modified Composites for Long-Term and High-Temperature Applications' has a focus on aerospace and aeronautic applications, and aims to develop graphene modified polymeric materials using graphite sourced from Leading Edge Material's Woxna project in Sweden.

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