AVALON ENTERS INTO $3,000,000 CONVERTIBLE SECURITY FUNDING AGREEMENT TO ACCELERATE SEPARATION RAPIDS LITHIUM WORK

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 25, 2021) - Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. (TSX: AVL) and (OTCQB: AVLNF) ("Avalon" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a $3,000,000 convertible security funding agreement (the "Funding Agreement") with an entity managed by The Lind Partners ("Lind"), a New York based asset management firm.

 

The convertible security has a two year term and will accrue a simple interest rate obligation of 10% per annum on the funded amount, which is prepaid and attributed to its face value upon issuance, resulting in a face value of $3,600,000 (the "Face Value"). Lind will be entitled to convert the Face Value amount over a 24 month period, subject to certain limits, at a conversion price equal to 85% of the five day trailing volume weighted average price of Avalon's common shares prior to the date of conversion. The convertible security matures 24 months after closing. Avalon has the right to repurchase the convertible security at any time, subject to the holder's option to convert up to one third of the Face Value into Avalon common shares prior to this repurchase.

 

The proceeds will be used to accelerate the planned work program for the Company's Separation Rapids Lithium Project near Kenora, Ontario and cover near term working capital requirements. Next steps at Separation Rapids involve extraction of the 5,000 tonne bulk sample of the petalite mineralization for pilot plant processing to recover product samples for customer evaluation and finalization of the lithium hydroxide battery materials process flowsheet. The Company is presently looking at two alternatives for pilot plant processing of the bulk sample. In parallel, the Company will begin working on the feasibility study for its planned lithium battery materials refinery in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

 

In conjunction with the closing of the Funding Agreement, Lind will receive a closing fee of $90,000, and 9,800,000 common share purchase warrants. Each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of $0.18 per common share until 48 months after closing.

 

Pursuant to Canadian securities laws, the securities issuable under this private placement will be subject to a hold period which expires four months and one day after closing. The Company has received conditional approval of the TSX in connection with this financing.

 

About The Lind Partners

 

The Lind Partners is a New York-based institutional fund manager and leading provider of growth capital to small- and mid-cap companies publicly traded in the US, Australia, Canada and the UK. Lind's core investment strategy is to provide new growth capital via direct investment with initial investments ranging from US$1 to US$30 million plus follow-ons. Lind also invests in syndicated equity offerings and selectively buys on market. Lind has completed more than 100 direct investments totaling over $1 Billion in total value and has been a flexible and supportive capital partner to investee companies since 2011.

 

About Avalon Advanced Materials Inc.

 

Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. is a Canadian mineral development company specializing in sustainably-produced materials for clean technology. The Company now has four advanced stage projects, providing investors with exposure to lithium, tin and indium, as well as rare earth elements, tantalum, cesium and zirconium. Avalon is currently focusing on developing its Separation Rapids Lithium Project near Kenora, Ontario while looking at several new project opportunities, including re-activating its 100%-owned Lilypad Cesium-Tantalum Project in northwestern Ontario. Social responsibility and environmental stewardship are corporate cornerstones.