Comstock Records Significant Gains From Completion of Major Asset Sales

Rhea-AI Summary

Comstock Inc. completes multiple asset sales, generating strong gains and advances in objectives.

Positive

• Successful completion of asset sales resulted in total cash proceeds of $26.5 million, net cash proceeds of $14.5 million, and a realized gain of over $7 million.
• Capital from asset sales will be used in other lines of business, including a new photovoltaic recycling facility.

Negative

• None.

VIRGINIA CITY, Nev., Sept. 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Comstock Inc. (NYSE: LODE) (“Comstock” and the “Company”), an innovator of technologies that enable systemic decarbonization and the energy transition by efficiently converting under-utilized natural resources into renewable energy products, today announced the successful completion of multiple asset sales, resulting in strong gains and advances of the Company’s objectives.

Investment in ABTC and the Battery Recycling Facility

The Company previously announced the sale of its Battery Recycling Facility and LINICO’s sale of certain related equipment (collectively, the “Facility”) to American Battery Technology Company (“ABTC”), for a net price of $27 million. This week, the Company completed the sales of its 9,076,923 ABTC common shares for proceeds of approximately $5.5 million, resulting in total cash proceeds of $26.5 million, net cash proceeds of $14.5 million, and a realized gain on the sale of these assets of over $7 million that will be reflected in the Company’s statement of operations in third quarter of 2023. ABTC is required to make a final payment of $0.5 million in cash, during the fourth quarter of 2023, associated with the purchase and sale agreements.

“This represents the culmination of a major asset sale objective, bringing in over $15 million in net cash proceeds during 2023, and recording a $7+ million realized gain on the sales,” stated Mr. Corrado De Gasperis, Comstock’s executive chairman and chief executive officer. “We look forward to putting this capital to very productive use in our other lines of business, including our new photovoltaic recycling facility located in Silver Springs, Nevada.”

Investment in Green Li-Ion

The Company’s 88% owned LINICO subsidiary also consummated the sale of 1,500 preferred shares, or 4%, of its 37,162 Green Li-ion Pte. Ltd. (“Green Li-ion”) shares for gross sales proceeds of $0.8 million, and a realized gain on the sale of approximately $0.6 million, and effectively valuing the remaining 35,662 shares at about $19 million.

“We originally invested $2 million in Green Li-Ion in 2021 and have watched them progress and position their technology readiness into one of the world’s first remanufacturers of spent Lithium-ion batteries into pre cursor cathode active materials,” continued Mr. Corrado De Gasperis. “They have always been and continue to be a top tier strategic technology and business partner and we very much look forward to their continued success.”

About Comstock

Comstock (NYSE: LODE) commercializes innovative technologies that contribute to global decarbonization by efficiently converting under-utilized natural resources, primarily, woody biomass into net zero renewable fuels, end of life metal extraction, and generative AI-enabled advanced materials synthesis and mineral discovery.

To learn more, please visit www.comstock.inc.

Forward-Looking Statements 

This press release and any related calls or discussions may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “should,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “potential” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements but are not the exclusive means of doing so. Forward-looking statements include statements about matters such as: future market conditions; future explorations or acquisitions; future changes in our research, development and exploration activities; future financial, natural, and social gains; future prices and sales of, and demand for, our products and services; land entitlements and uses; permits; production capacity and operations; operating and overhead costs; future capital expenditures and their impact on us; operational and management changes (including changes in the Board of Directors); changes in business strategies, planning and tactics; future employment and contributions of personnel, including consultants; future land and asset sales; investments, acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances, business combinations, operational, tax, financial and restructuring initiatives, including the nature, timing and accounting for restructuring charges, derivative assets and liabilities and the impact thereof; contingencies; litigation, administrative or arbitration proceedings; environmental compliance and changes in the regulatory environment; offerings, limitations on sales or offering of equity or debt securities, including asset sales and associated costs; business opportunities, growth rates, future working capital, needs, revenues, variable costs, throughput rates, operating expenses, debt levels, cash flows, margins, taxes and earnings. These statements are based on assumptions and assessments made by our management in light of their experience and their perception of historical and current trends, current conditions, possible future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees, representations or warranties and are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are unforeseeable and beyond our control and could cause actual results, developments, and business decisions to differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. Some of those risks and uncertainties include the risk factors set forth in our filings with the SEC and the following: adverse effects of climate changes or natural disasters; adverse effects of global or regional pandemic disease spread or other crises; global economic and capital market uncertainties; the speculative nature of gold or mineral exploration, and lithium, nickel and cobalt recycling, including risks of diminishing quantities or grades of qualified resources; operational or technical difficulties in connection with exploration, metal recycling, processing or mining activities; costs, hazards and uncertainties associated with precious and other metal based activities, including environmentally friendly and economically enhancing clean mining and processing technologies, precious metal exploration, resource development, economic feasibility assessment and cash generating mineral production; costs, hazards and uncertainties associated with metal recycling, processing or mining activities; contests over our title to properties; potential dilution to our stockholders from our stock issuances, recapitalization and balance sheet restructuring activities; potential inability to comply with applicable government regulations or law; adoption of or changes in legislation or regulations adversely affecting our businesses; permitting constraints or delays; challenges to, or potential inability to, achieve the benefits of business opportunities that may be presented to, or pursued by, us, including those involving battery technology and efficacy, quantum computing and generative artificial intelligence supported advanced materials development, development of cellulosic technology in bio-fuels and related material production; commercialization of cellulosic technology in bio-fuels and generative artificial intelligence development services; ability to successfully identify, finance, complete and integrate acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances, business combinations, asset sales, and investments that we may be party to in the future; changes in the United States or other monetary or fiscal policies or regulations; interruptions in our production capabilities due to capital constraints; equipment failures; fluctuation of prices for gold or certain other commodities (such as silver, zinc, lithium, nickel, cobalt, cyanide, water, diesel, gasoline and alternative fuels and electricity); changes in generally accepted accounting principles; adverse effects of war, mass shooting, terrorism and geopolitical events; potential inability to implement our business strategies; potential inability to grow revenues; potential inability to attract and retain key personnel; interruptions in delivery of critical supplies, equipment and raw materials due to credit or other limitations imposed by vendors; assertion of claims, lawsuits and proceedings against us; potential inability to satisfy debt and lease obligations; potential inability to maintain an effective system of internal controls over financial reporting; potential inability or failure to timely file periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission; potential inability to list our securities on any securities exchange or market or maintain the listing of our securities; and work stoppages or other labor difficulties. Occurrence of such events or circumstances could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows, or the market price of our securities. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements by or attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Except as may be required by securities or other law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Neither this press release nor any related calls or discussions constitutes an offer to sell, the solicitation of an offer to buy or a recommendation with respect to any securities of the Company, the fund, or any other issuer.

Contact Information:

Investor Relations
RB Milestone Group
Tel (203) 487-2759
ir@comstockinc.com

Media
Zach Spencer
Comstock Inc.
Tel (775) 847-7532
questions@comstockinc.com

Source: Comstock Inc.