Nouveau Monde Graphite and the Municipality of Saint-Michel-des-Saints sign agreement in principle

The demonstration plant at Nouveau Monde Graphite, located in Quebec. — Photo courtesy Nouveau Monde

Mr. Réjean Gouin, Mayor of the municipality of Saint-Michel-des-Saints and Mr. Eric Desaulniers, President and CEO of Nouveau Monde Graphite, (TSXV:NOU) (OTCQX:NMGRF) (Frankfurt:NM9) («NMG») are pleased to announce the signature of an agreement in principle on the development of the Matawinie project. This agreement will enhance the collaboration between both parties, clearly defining the environmental and social impacts and taking into account the concerns and needs of the community of Saint-Michel-des-Saints in the development of the project.

Both parties wish to take practical and mutual steps in order to foster the sustainable development of the project taking into account the environmental protection, social responsibility and economic development of the community.

Acknowledging the fact that natural resources are one of the cornerstones of the local development, the realization of NMG's Matawinie project will create many jobs, increase development and economic diversification, thus enabling the municipality to improve the environment and the living conditions of the local population.

The Board of Directors and the Senior Executives believe that this bilateral agreement will be beneficial in the short, medium and long term to both the municipality of Saint-Michel-des-Saints and NMG as well as to all its citizens. In keeping with NMG’s desire to operate a 100% electrically operated mine, this agreement strengthens the will of the company to abide by the best business practices in the realm of social responsibility and to work towards the common interests of all parties.

In addition, the municipality of Saint-Michel-des-Saints and NMG are pleased to announce the implementation of a liaison committee that will ensure continued dialogue between all parties involved and follow up on all the environmental and social impacts. As a consequence, the concerns of the local population will be forwarded to NMG ensuring the development and economic benefits of the project will be shared by all members of the community.

Saint-Michel-des-Saints is a municipality of Québec located in the MRC of Matawinie in Lanaudière. Its population totals nearly 2,360 inhabitants. During its history, agriculture, forestry and recreational tourism activities have been the basis of the municipality's economic activities. The construction, restaurant, transportation and warehousing and retail sectors also contribute to economic development, accounting for more than half of all businesses.

In 2015, Nouveau Monde Graphite discovered a major and high-quality graphite deposit on its Matawinie property, located in Saint-Michel-des-Saints, 150 north of Montreal, Quebec. The discovery led to the announcement of a prefeasibility study on October 25, 2017. The prefeasibility results revealed projected graphite concentrate production levels of 52,000 tonnes per year over a 27-year period. In the summer of 2018, NMG will be launching its first tonnes of concentrated graphite flake manufactured in demonstration plant. NMG’s demonstration plant has been built for a production capacity of 2,000 tonnes of concentrated flake for a two-year period.

Moreover, in a vertical integration and sustainable development perspective, the company is planning the establishment of a large-scale graphite secondary transformation facility, catering the needs of the booming lithium-ion battery market. With over 60 years of experience in the world of graphite, NMG’s team develops its projects with the utmost respect of neighboring communities, while favoring a minimal ecological footprint. NMG’s project is privileged by direct access to the workforce and infrastructure needed to operate its mining project, and it can also rely on an abundant, affordable and renewable source of hydroelectricity.

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