Critical Elements hires a communication firm

MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Feb. 8, 2017) - Critical Elements Corporation ("Critical Elements" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:CRE) (OTCQX:CRECF) (FRANKFURT:F12) announced today that it retained the services of Hill+Knowlton Strategies ("H+K") in order to increase its visibility at both local and international level, including Europe and the United States.

The agreement is for a 12-month period with a monthly fee of $5,800.

With nine offices across the country, Hill+Knowlton Strategies Canada is a leader in both public relations and government relations. Headquartered in Toronto, the company is the No. 1-rated strategic communications firm in the country. Its experts specialize in corporate communications, public affairs, marketing communications, crisis, energy, technology, health care, social and digital communications, financial communications and transactions. The only communications firm to have earned the Order of Excellence from Excellence Canada, it has been recognized as one of the Best Workplaces in Canada for eight consecutive years. Its parent company, Hill+Knowlton Strategies Inc., has 87 offices in 49 countries as well as an extensive associate network; and it is a member of WPP (NASDAQ:WPPGY), one of the world's largest communications services groups.

About Critical Elements Corporation

A recent financial analysis (Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) on the Rose lithium-tantalum Project, Genivar, December 2011) of the Rose project, 100% owned by Critical Elements, based on price forecasts of US$260/kg ($118/lb) for Ta₂O₅ contained in a tantalite concentrate and US$6,000/t for lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃) showed an estimated after-tax Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 25% for the Rose project, with an estimated Net Present Value (NPV) of CA$279 million at an 8% discount rate. The payback period is estimated at 4.1 years. The pre-tax IRR is estimated at 33% and the NPV at $488 million at a discount rate of 8%. (Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability). (The preliminary economic assessment is preliminary in nature). (See press release dated November 21, 2011.)

The conclusions of the PEA indicate the operation would support a production rate of 26,606 tons of high purity (99.9% battery grade) Li₂CO₃ and 206,670 pounds of Ta₂O₅ per year over a 17-year mine life.

The project hosts a current Indicated resource of 26.5 million tonnes of 1.30% Li₂O Eq. or 0.98% Li₂O and 163 ppm Ta₂O₅ and an Inferred resource of 10.7 million tonnes of 1.14% Li₂O Eq. or 0.86% Li₂O and 145 ppm Ta₂O₅.

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