Lithium Ionic advances construction readiness at Bandeira; secures water access

Lithium Ionic Advances Construction Readiness at Bandeira; Secures Construction-Phase Water Access and Provides Engineering and Procurement Updates

TORONTO, June 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lithium Ionic Corp. (TSXV: LTH; OTC: LTHCF; FSE: H3N) (“Lithium Ionic” or the “Company”) is pleased to provide an update on recent engineering, procurement and construction-readiness progress at its 100%-owned Bandeira Lithium Project (“Bandeira” or the “Project”), located in Minas Gerais, Brazil’s globally significant “Lithium Valley.”

Recent progress reflects continued advancement across key pre-construction workstreams, including site access, mine planning, underground infrastructure engineering and major equipment procurement.

Recent Progress

• Secured direct access to a reliable construction-phase water source through an 18-month lease agreement for abstraction from the Jequitinhonha River;
• Completed a detailed three-year mine plan and a refined life-of-mine plan for Bandeira with NCL Ingeniería y Construcción SpA (“NCL”), further validating the Feasibility Study announced September 17, 2025;
• Completed basic engineering for the underground mine portals with Tractebel Engineering (“Tractebel”), enabling portal construction tendering to advance; and
• Issued tenders for the Project’s main crushing units, with supplier proposals received and under evaluation.

Blake Hylands, P.Geo., CEO of Lithium Ionic, commented, “These milestones reflect continued progress across several important pre-construction workstreams at Bandeira. Securing access to reliable contruction-phase water access supports site-level readiness, while the completion of updated mine planning, portal engineering and crusher tendering further advances the Project from engineering toward execution planning. Our team remains focused on disciplined engineering, procurement and construction-readiness activities as we continue to move Bandeira toward a construction decision.”

Securing Construction-Phase Water Access

In June 2026, the Company executed an 18-month lease agreement with a local landowner securing direct access to the Jequitinhonha River in the municipality of Araçuaí, Minas Gerais, for water abstraction during the construction phase of Bandeira. The agreement grants access to the abstraction point located on the lessor’s property and enables the Company to exercise its existing water rights under the water-use authorization issued by the Agência Nacional das Águas (“ANA”).

This agreement supports site-level construction planning and represents a key de-risking milestone.

Completion of Three-Year Plan and Refined LOM Plan

NCL completed a detailed three-year plan together with a refined LOM plan for Bandeira. The work refines the underground mine schedule, development sequencing and production priorities for the initial years of operation across the full life of the Project. The plan validates and supports the Feasibility Study and the Company’s detailed engineering, construction sequencing and execution planning as Bandeira advances toward a construction decision.

Engineering and Underground Portal Advancement

The Company has completed basic engineering for the two underground mine portals in collaboration with Tractebel Engineering, a leading global engineering consultancy in energy, water, and infrastructure, part of the ENGIE group. Completion of this basic engineering enables the Company to proceed to the market for portal construction, with the tender process now advancing. The portals are a critical early works component on the path to construction.

Procurement and Tendering Progress

The Company continues to advance procurement of major process equipment in support of construction readiness. The Project’s main crushing units have been tendered to five leading crusher suppliers, with five proposals received and currently under evaluation.

This tendering activity forms part of the Company’s disciplined procurement program as engineering and execution planning continue to advance at Bandeira.

Qualified Persons

The technical and scientific content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Blake Hylands, P.Geo., CEO and director of Lithium Ionic, who is a “qualified person” as defined in National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Hylands is not independent of the Company.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Lithium Ionic Corp. 

Blake Hylands
Chief Executive Officer, Director
+1 647.316.2500
info@lithiumionic.com

About Lithium Ionic Corp.

Lithium Ionic is a Canadian lithium development company focused on responsibly advancing its 100%-owned Bandeira Lithium Project in Minas Gerais, Brazil, a region coined the “Lithium Valley” that is emerging as a premier hard-rock lithium district. The Company is executing on a focused development strategy centered on engineering de-risking, permitting advancement, commercial planning, and construction readiness, with the goal of becoming a near-term producer of high-quality spodumene concentrate for global battery supply chains.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements contained herein that are not historical in nature contain forward-looking information. Forward-looking information can be identified by words or phrases such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “likely”, “should”, “would”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “potential”, “proposed”, “estimate”, “believe” or the negative of these terms, or other similar words, expressions and grammatical variations thereof, or statements that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” happen, or by discussions of strategy. The forward-looking information contained in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the terms, duration and benefits of the water abstraction lease agreement; the availability and adequacy of water for construction and operations, including the planned operational water pipeline; the Company’s ability to exercise its water rights under the water-use authorization issued by ANA; the anticipated construction schedule and timing; the completion percentage and advancement of Project engineering; the validation of the Feasibility Study by, and the implications of, the three-year plan and refined LOM plan completed by NCL; the tendering, evaluation, award and outcomes of procurement for the main crushing units and underground portal construction; the Company’s ability to finance and develop the Bandeira project; the ability of the Company to become a near-term, low-cost lithium producer; and the Company’s future plans. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations are risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulations. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

The forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this news release and is based on assumptions management believed to be reasonable, including management’s perceptions of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other considerations that are believed to be appropriate in the circumstances. While we consider these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to management, there is no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.

By its nature, forward-looking information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. A variety of factors, including known and unknown risks, many of which are beyond our control, could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information in this news release. Additional risk factors can also be found in the Company’s current MD&A and the Company’s other public filings, all of which have been filed under the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release or has in any way approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release.