Nouveau Monde and Lithion Recycling Sign a Collaboration Agreement to Recycle Graphite for Reuse as Anode Material for Batteries ? Showing Commitment to Full Life Cycle of Materials

MONTRÉAL, June 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc. ("Nouveau Monde" or the "Company") (NYSE : NMG; TSXV : NOU; Frankfurt : NM9) and Lithion Recycling ("Lithion") are pleased to announce the signing of a collaboration agreement (the "Agreement") for the recovery and value-added transformation of recycled graphite for reuse as anode material for lithium-ion batteries.

The Agreement will leverage Nouveau Monde's and Lithion's proprietary processes and expertise to promote graphite circularity and better position both companies in the evolving global market. The local, Canadian, and North American ecosystem in the strategic minerals, battery materials and electrification sectors could be strengthened by the development of a cost-effective technical and commercial solution for recycled graphite.

Eric Desaulniers, Founder, President and CEO of Nouveau Monde, explains: "Recycling battery materials is an essential component in the development of tomorrow's sustainable economy. As a producer of advanced graphite-based materials aiming to play a dominant role in the Western World, Nouveau Monde is well positioned with its proposed operations and proprietary processes to play a key role in reconditioning value-added graphite back to its original characteristics to meet our customers' specific requirements. By working with Lithion, a world-class partner with recognized expertise, we are confident that we can define the optimal recovery and transformation solution thanks to our respective complementary technologies. Ultimately, the goal is to insert an increasing percentage of recycled material into our transformation process and, thus, potentially increase our overall production capacity, revenue, and margins, offer more sustainable solutions and challenge the established paradigm that the resource from our mining operation is inevitably non-renewable."

Benoit Couture, Lithion's founding President, adds: "Lithion's patented and patent-pending lithium-ion battery recycling technology has been optimized, thanks to our large-scale demonstration facility, with the vision of closing the loop on critical and strategic materials by reusing them in new battery materials. In parallel to the work currently being performed with partners at the cathode side with our recycled materials, we are thrilled to team up with Nouveau Monde Graphite's team of experts to define the optimal and most cost-effective way to introduce recycled graphite from our sustainable and low carbon footprint technology in new anode material for lithium-ion batteries. We focus on a synergistic and collaborative approach as well as our complementary skill sets to provide battery manufacturers with recycled graphite containing anode material."

About Lithion
Lithion Recycling has developed an efficient and cost-effective process to recover strategic materials from end-of life and production waste of lithium-ion batteries. Lithion's process allows up to 95% of battery components to be recovered and treated so that they can be reused by battery manufacturers, enabling the close of the lifecycle in batteries. This technology accelerates the transition to green energy and helps meet decarbonization targets by reducing pressure on natural resource extraction. In 2022-2023, Lithion is set to launch its first commercial recycling plant, drawing on operational data from a highly successful Québec industrial-scale demonstration plant created in 2019. Lithion targets a worldwide deployment, through licensing agreements, aiming at 20 recycling plants. More on Lithion at https://www.lithionrecycling.com/news/

About Nouveau Monde
Nouveau Monde is striving to become a key contributor to the sustainable energy revolution. The Company is working towards developing a fully-integrated source of green battery anode material in Québec, Canada. Targeting commercial operations by 2023, the Company is developing advanced carbon-neutral graphite-based material solutions for the growing lithium-ion and fuel cell markets. With low-cost operations and enviable ESG standards, Nouveau Monde aspires to become a strategic supplier to the world's leading battery and automobile manufacturers, providing high performing and reliable advanced materials while promoting sustainability and supply chain traceability. More on Nouveau Monde at https://NouveauMonde.group

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Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release including, but not limited to, the intended results of the initiatives described above, the Company's mission and strategy and the "About Nouveau Monde" paragraph which essentially describe the Company's outlook and objectives, constitute "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of certain securities laws, and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the time of this press release. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the time of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Moreover, these forward-looking statements are based upon various underlying factors and assumptions, including the timely delivery and installation of the equipment supporting the production, the Company's business prospects and opportunities and estimates of the operational performance of the equipment, and are not guarantees of future performance.

Forward-looking information and statements are subject to known or unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking information and statements. Risk factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, delays in the scheduled delivery times of the equipment, the ability of the Company to successfully implement its strategic initiatives and whether such strategic initiatives will yield the expected benefits, the operating performance of the Company's assets and businesses, competitive factors in the graphite mining and production industry, changes in laws and regulations affecting the Company's businesses, technological developments, the impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic and the governments' responses thereto, and general economic conditions. Unpredictable or unknown factors not discussed in this Cautionary Note could also have material adverse effects on forward-looking statements.

Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can directly or indirectly affect, and could cause, actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's expectations and plans relating to the future. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law.    

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.   

Further information regarding the Company is available in the SEDAR database (www.sedar.com), the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission's EDGAR website (www.sec.gov), and on the Company's website at: www.NouveauMonde.group.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/29e603d9-1be5-4355-be79-5146cea34b43