Nemaska Lithium Launches a USD 300-350M Bond Offering

QUÉBEC CITY, QUÉBEC--(Marketwired - April 20, 2018) -

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Nemaska Lithium Inc. ("Nemaska Lithium" or the "Corporation") (TSX:NMX)(FRANKFURT:N0T) is pleased to announce that it is launching an offering of senior secured callable bonds ("Bonds") on a private placement basis for proceeds of USD 300-350M (the "Bond Offering").

The Corporation has engaged Clarksons Platou Securities and Pareto Securities (collectively, the "Managers") as managers, on a best efforts basis, for the Bond Offering. The Managers will, in connection with the Bond Offering, arrange a series of investor meetings over the following weeks.

The Nordic-style Bond Offering will be USD-denominated and the Bonds will be senior secured obligations of Nemaska Lithium, having a five-year term, unless earlier repurchased or redeemed, and bearing interest payable quarterly in arrears. The Bonds will be guaranteed against the Project and against the intangible assets of the Corporation.

The proceeds will be kept in a trust account pledged in favor of the Bondholders and the initial release, as well as subsequent drawdowns, of funds are subject to certain conditions precedent customary for these types of transactions including, but not limited to, the evidence that the required equity proceeds and the proceeds under the previously announced Streaming Agreement with Orion Mine Finance II LP ("Orion") have been spent on the Corporation's project. The Corporation intends to apply to list the Bonds on the Nordic Alternative Bond Market (ABM) after the closing of the Bond Offering, expected on or around May 18, 2018.

Financing Endeavors Update

The Corporation had outlined, in its March 28, 2018 press release, the components of its overall USD775-825M financing structure to fund the construction, commissioning, working capital and reserve funds for its Whabouchi lithium mine and Shawinigan electrochemical plant (the "Project Financing") and also for general corporate working capital. Since that time, in addition to launching this Bond Offering, the Corporation:

• Signed a USD 150M streaming agreement with Orion announced in its April 12, 2018 press release (the "Streaming Agreement"); and
• Has pursued its efforts pertaining to private and/or public offerings, and:
  • Obtained, on March 29, 2018, a receipt from Canadian securities regulatory authorities for its final base shelf prospectus (filed on Sedar the same day);
  • Issued, on April 5, 2018, a press release outlining the agreed terms of a private placement for up to CAD 99M with SoftBank Group Corp. ("SoftBank") to hold no more than 9.9% of the shares outstanding once the Project Financing is completed;
  • Expects to close the SoftBank private placement (subscription receipts) on or around April 25, 2018; and
  • Expects to provide further details in the short-term on current discussions for the additional equity financing required (the "Equity Offerings").