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To: Goose94 who wrote (14443)	10/6/2015 10:07:08 AM
From: Goose94	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 202925

Volkswagen Scandal May Accelerate Shift to Electric Vehicles It’s been over two weeks since Volkswagen’s emissions violations were made public, but the news continues to affect the resource space. The platinum price has been hit most grievously. While it was trading at about $970 per ounce before the scandal came to light, it saw an immediate drop on the news, and since then has been unable to recover. It fell below $900 for the first time since January 2009 on September 29, and also dipped below that level on October 2. However, there’s some hope that the scandal will benefit other metals — namely those used in electric vehicle (EV) batteries. The Investing News Network spoke with Robin Goad, president and CEO of Fortune Minerals (FT-T), and Troy Nazarewicz, Fortune’s investor relations manager, to gain insight on why such metals stand to do well. Diesel vs. electricTo understand why the metals used in EV batteries may benefit from the Volkswagen issue, it’s first important to know what the scandal entailed, and why the platinum price dropped as a result. Put simply, Volkswagen fitted its diesel cars with “defeat devices” that detected when they were being tested. The cars would put out lower emissions in order to pass tests, but when operating normally, would pollute more than regulations allow. The German automaker has admitted to using the devices on about 11 million vehicles worldwide. The news has had a drastic impact on the platinum price because platinum is used in autocatalysts for diesel engines, and analysts believe the popularity of those engines will fade in light of the scandal. Goad is a firm believer in that trend as well, and emphasized that the Volkswagen news will likely accelerate a shift towards hybrid and pure EVs that has been building for quite some time. “This is further validation of the transition that’s taking place in the automotive industry towards electrification, or EVs and hybrid EVs,” he said, while Nazarewicz added, “it’s not a game changer; rather, it’s contributing to what is already underway.” EVs and cobalt consumptionAn accelerated shift toward EVs would mean increased demand for the lithium-ion batteries that power them. Of course, anyone following the EV space story knows that lithium-ion batteries contain far more than just lithium. Speaking to that topic, Goad said that they also contain nickel, graphite and cobalt. However, while most of those metals “are generally pretty abundant,” the same can’t be said for cobalt. “Cobalt … consumption is much more constrained, and that’s why it’s a particularly important metal to focus on with respect to the impact of the proliferation of EVs and the greater use of lithium-ion batteries,” he explained. In terms of exactly how much cobalt goes in lithium-ion batteries, Goad said that the amount varies by battery technology. For example, while the powerful batteries used in portable electronic devices — commonly lithium-cobalt oxide batteries — contain 60 percent cobalt by weight, Tesla Motors’ automobiles use a nickel-cobalt-aluminum oxide chemistry “that contains about 9 percent cobalt by weight.” While that might not sound like much, Goad noted, “you’re talking about approximately 5 kilograms of cobalt contained in each of these EV batteries.” He believes that will add up quickly, and noted that the cobalt market currently stands at 100,000 tonnes annually, and is growing at a 6-percent compounded annual growth rate. Meanwhile, “battery sector cobalt demand — accounting for 46 percent of cobalt consumption — grew by over 9 percent in 2014 and has seen forecast growth rates of up to 20 percent.” The question of supplyThe amount of cobalt that will be required as EVs and hybrid EVs gain popularity becomes even more dramatic when the cobalt supply situation is taken into account. Goad explained that 61 percent of mined cobalt currently comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which is known for being a politically risky country. However, that’s not the only issue with the locale. As Goad said, “irrespective of your views on its political stability, it is also a country that is trying to restrict the export of unprocessed concentrates and partially processed hydroxides.” There’s also the issue of depletion. Despite its issues, the DRC hosts “great deposits that can produce cobalt at very low prices,” said Goad. Unfortunately, “most of the production from the DRC comes from near-surface oxide resources. And those near-surface oxide resources are being depleted.” And while many sulfide deposits still remain, “they are more expensive to process because they can’t be processed with using atmospheric leaching.” All in all, Goad said, credible analysts are forecasting a cobalt deficit in 2016, and see it becoming greater in the coming years.

To: Goose94 who wrote (14443)	10/23/2015 1:15:45 PM
From: Goose94	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 202925

Great Lakes Graphite (GLK-V) Oct 23, '15 announced today that the Company has closed the financing announced on October 5, 2015 to provide project funding for the recommissioning of the Matheson Graphite Micronization Facility. The financing has been structured as a debenture, (the "Note") that provides the Company with debt financing of $926,630. About Great Lakes Graphite: Great Lakes Graphite Inc. is an industrial minerals company focussed on bringing value-added carbon products to a well-defined market. The Company's Innovation Division has entered into long-term agreements for use of the Matheson Micronization Facility and for supply of high quality natural graphite concentrate (see news release dated 03/23/15) which are positioning Great Lakes Graphite to become an emerging domestic manufacturer and supplier of micronized products to a growing regional customer base where pricing and demand continue to rise. Further information regarding Great Lakes can be found on the Company's website at: www.GreatLakesGraphite.com. Great Lakes Graphite trades with symbol GLK on the TSX Venture Exchange and currently has 97,974,075 shares outstanding (133,886,812 fully diluted). Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Great Lakes Graphite Inc. Paul Ferguson Chief Marketing Officer 1-800-754-4510 x106 PFerguson@GreatLakesGraphite.com Great Lakes Graphite Inc. Paul Gorman Chief Executive Officer 1-800-754-4510 x109 PGorman@GreatLakesGraphite.com www.GreatLakesGraphite.com