Kevin Torpy, Vice President, Operations
Experienced Mining Engineer to Oversee Site Operations, Exploration Activities, and Feasibility Studies for the Graphite Creek Project
Andrew Tan, Vice President, Advanced Graphite Materials
Experienced Graphite Engineer Overseeing the Development of the Advanced Materials Manufacturing Facility
April 3, 2023 – Vancouver, British Columbia – Graphite One Inc. (TSX‐V:GPH; OTCQX: GPHOF) (“Graphite One”, or the “Company”), planning a complete domestic U.S. supply chain for advanced graphite materials, is pleased to announce the following:
- Appointment of Kevin Torpy as Vice President, Operations of Graphite One (Alaska) Inc.; and
- Promotion of Andrew Tan to Vice President, Advanced Graphite Materials of Graphite One Inc.
Both appointments are effective immediately. Graphite One (Alaska) Inc. is Graphite One, Inc.’s 100%-owned subsidiary.
“Graphite One is fortunate to add an experienced mining executive of Kevin’s caliber, and is pleased to recognize Andrew’s contribution to the Company” said Anthony Huston, CEO and founder of Graphite One. “Kevin has brought mines through permitting, construction and into production – a skill set that’s going to make our team even stronger. Andrew‘s skill, experience and relationship’s in the industry are instrumental in developing our anode manufacturing capability.”
Mr. Torpy is a mining engineer with twenty-six years of experience developing, building, and operating mines, primarily in remote northern locations. Prior to joining Graphite One he was Vice President, Operations at Ambler Metals, another Arctic exploration project in Alaska. He was Vice President, Operations at Titan Mining Corp. where he oversaw the restructuring and operational turnaround of the Empire State Mine in Northern New York State. He held several positions of increasing responsibility including General Manager at Pretium Resources’ Brucejack Mine in British Columbia during the advanced exploration, construction, and startup phases of the project.
Mr. Torpy’s other Alaska experience includes the Kensington Mine, where he was Technical Services Superintendent through construction, and the Pogo Mine, where he was an Operations Engineer during the advanced exploration and construction phases.
Mr. Torpy has a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering from Montana Tech and received the E.A. Scholz Award from the Association for Mineral Exploration for excellence in mine development in British Columbia. He is a current Director and past Juneau Branch Chair of the Alaska Miners Association.
Mr. Tan joined the Company in April 2021 as Director – Graphite Products Manufacturing and has been instrumental in planning the Company’s advanced graphite materials manufacturing facility. He has over thirty years industry experience including:
- eight years as an independent consultant to the carbon and graphite materials industry with particular emphasis on manufacturing graphite anode materials and other advanced graphite products
- three years academic research in nano carbon materials
- three years as General Manager of SGL Carbon Group’s graphite foil manufacturing plant in China
- Led the successful development of a non-HF natural graphite thermal chemical purification commercial process
- several technical positions in the industry in the United States and Canada.
Mr. Tan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from China’s Hunan University and a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of New Brunswick. He is based in the Vancouver office.
Marketing Awareness Program
As part of Graphite One’s ongoing strategy to raise the profile of Graphite One and its Graphite Creek Project to investors, the Company has engaged the services of TD Media LLC d/b/a Life Water Media based out of Houston, Texas, to provide a comprehensive digital media marketing campaign for the Company.
The Company has entered into a Digital Marketing Services Agreement with Life Water Media whereby the services to be provided by Life Water Media will include digital media, advertising, awareness campaigns, and other digital marketing services for a fee of US150,000 per month for a six (6) month period. The Agreement is subject to TSX Venture Exchange Approval.
Life Water Media is arm’s length to the Company. Neither Life Water Media nor its principals own, directly or indirectly, any common shares in the Company.
Graphite One’s Supply Chain Strategy
With the United States currently 100 per cent import dependent for natural graphite, Graphite One is planning to develop a complete U.S.-based, advanced graphite supply chain solution anchored by the Graphite Creek resource. The Graphite One project plan includes an advanced graphite material and battery anode manufacturing plant expected to be sited in Washington State integrated with the development of the Property. The plan includes a recycling facility to reclaim graphite and the other battery materials, to be co-located at the Washington State site, the third link in Graphite One’s circular economy strategy.
About Graphite One Inc.
GRAPHITE ONE INC. is developing its Graphite One Project (the “Project”) to become an American producer of high-grade anode materials on a commercial scale integrated with a domestic graphite resource. The Project is proposed as a vertically integrated enterprise to mine, process and manufacture anode materials primarily for the lithium‐ion electric vehicle battery market. As set forth in the Company’s 2022 Pre-Feasibility Study, graphite mineralization mined from the Company’s Graphite Creek Property, situated on the Seward Peninsula about 60 kilometers north of Nome, Alaska, would be processed into concentrate at an adjacent processing plant. Natural and artificial graphite anode materials and other value‐added graphite products would be manufactured from the concentrate and other materials at the Company’s proposed advanced graphite materials manufacturing facility expected to be located in Washington State. The Company intends to make a production decision on the Project upon the completion of a Feasibility Study.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
“Anthony Huston” (signed)
For more information on Graphite One Inc., please visit the Company’s website, www.GraphiteOneInc.com or contact:
Anthony Huston
CEO, President & Director
Tel: (604) 889-4251
Email: AHuston@GraphiteOneInc.com
Investor Relations Contact
Tel: (604) 684-6730
On Twitter @GraphiteOne
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.
This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as “may”, “should”, “anticipate”, “will”, “intends” “expects” and similar expressions which are intended to identify forward-looking information or statements. The Company cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is given as of the date it is expressed in this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities laws. For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company’s continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedar.com.