{"success":true,"data":{"pressRelease":{"id":"77634","rtpr_id":"nGNX3sCMxH","ticker":"MLS","exchange":"ASX","all_tickers":["MLS"],"title":"Quebec Graphite Mine and Processing Plant Prefeasibility Study Confirms Strong Project Economics ","author":"Globe Newswire","published_at":"2026-07-01T10:00:00.263Z","article_body":"PERTH, Australia, July 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Metals Australia Ltd (ASX:\nMLS), through its wholly owned Canadian subsidiary Northern Resources Inc.,\nhas reported strong Prefeasibility Study (PFS) results for the proposed open\ncut mine and flake graphite concentrate plant at its Lac Carheil Graphite\nProject in Quebec, Canada.\n\nThe study confirms the upstream component of the Company’s fully integrated\ngraphite project is economically robust on a standalone basis and strongly\npositioned to support future North American and global battery supply chains.\nThe project will produce 101,241 tonnes per year of high purity graphite\nconcentrates over a 24-year project life.\n\nThe PFS delivers a pre-tax NPV of US$553 million [~C$790 m] using an 8%\ndiscount rate with a 22.0% internal rate of return and a payback period of 4.2\nyears.\n\nThe project is underpinned by a maiden Ore Reserve of 21.51 million tonnes\ngrading 11.14% Cg for approximately 2.4 million tonnes of contained graphite.\n\nCapital expenditure is US$346.3 million.\n\nThe project is located near Fermont, with access to established regional\ninfrastructure and local communities. The project will create 143 full time\njobs from 2030, increasing to 183 personnel over the life of the project.\n\nMetals Australia will now advance the project toward Final Feasibility.\n\nThe full ASX announcement is linked here: ASX Announcements | Metals Australia\nLimited\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=2IbnKgZEpalO4xL2Sf9wR0sVzUB3ow-pgX3BHpm76un0fYQiINfZiJph7rMgcVvgkkKHdGLnGcDBAzl6laY11dVu91EwyUH9OpKXIwC75wz2JXSLHN4NbWMTR0_s7uCTzjOGHxVlNCLWajpzEcr4srLRPpBe4eZC1FGXQ07wsTCgYnnMAQAQBl7JnZ0j0f6I)\n\nMetals Australia CEO & Northern Resources President, Paul Ferguson, commented:\n\n“Our fully integrated graphite project in Quebec continues to impress. The\nresults we have reported from our prefeasibility study demonstrate that the\nupstream Mine and Flake Graphite Concentrate plant project, located near\nFermont, is economically attractive on a standalone basis.\n\nWe see the project as Canada’s next fully integrated high purity graphite\nproject - and we remain steadfast in our endeavour to progress it towards\ndevelopment.”\n\nFurther Information\n\nAdditional information is available at metalsaustralia.com.au/\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=zvL4WklUl2fwa6rv1BDP6bsVkkJspvJuaCjkKNfczzcOc77iF7edZE6w03leVdJQA3gd3-EF4jFfbY-4vHKFv0-gV6NIIYX_o2xR_NiuV1169q98NOzg6biWSUMhw_WJ)\nor contact:\n\n Paul Ferguson Chief Executive Officer info@metalsaustralia.com.au     Tanya Newby CFO/Joint Co. Secretary +61 (08) 9481 7833  Elizabeth Michael Investor Relations - Australia info@metalsaustralia.com.au  \n Simon Falrdeau Investor Relations – Canada simon@simonfalardeau.ca                                                                                                                                          \n                                                                                                                                                                                                             \n\nAbout Metals Australia Ltd\n\nMetals Australia Ltd (ASX: MLS) is a Critical Minerals Project Development\nCompany Headquartered in Perth, Western Australia. The Company – through its\nCanadian subsidiary, Northern Resources Inc., is advancing the development of\nits Lac Carheil high-grade flake-graphite project in Quebec - a high-quality\nproject well placed for the future delivery of premium and battery-grade\ngraphite products to the North American market.\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/35a8b80b-b281-4a19-ac26-e3180d0d5137)\n\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026","article_body_html":"","raw_payload":{"data":{"id":"nGNX3sCMxH","title":"Quebec Graphite Mine and Processing Plant Prefeasibility Study Confirms Strong Project Economics ","author":"Globe Newswire","ticker":"MLS","created":"2026-07-01T10:00:00.263Z","tickers":["MLS"],"exchange":"ASX","article_body":"PERTH, Australia, July 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Metals Australia Ltd (ASX:\nMLS), through its wholly owned Canadian subsidiary Northern Resources Inc.,\nhas reported strong Prefeasibility Study (PFS) results for the proposed open\ncut mine and flake graphite concentrate plant at its Lac Carheil Graphite\nProject in Quebec, Canada.\n\nThe study confirms the upstream component of the Company’s fully integrated\ngraphite project is economically robust on a standalone basis and strongly\npositioned to support future North American and global battery supply chains.\nThe project will produce 101,241 tonnes per year of high purity graphite\nconcentrates over a 24-year project life.\n\nThe PFS delivers a pre-tax NPV of US$553 million [~C$790 m] using an 8%\ndiscount rate with a 22.0% internal rate of return and a payback period of 4.2\nyears.\n\nThe project is underpinned by a maiden Ore Reserve of 21.51 million tonnes\ngrading 11.14% Cg for approximately 2.4 million tonnes of contained graphite.\n\nCapital expenditure is US$346.3 million.\n\nThe project is located near Fermont, with access to established regional\ninfrastructure and local communities. The project will create 143 full time\njobs from 2030, increasing to 183 personnel over the life of the project.\n\nMetals Australia will now advance the project toward Final Feasibility.\n\nThe full ASX announcement is linked here: ASX Announcements | Metals Australia\nLimited\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=2IbnKgZEpalO4xL2Sf9wR0sVzUB3ow-pgX3BHpm76un0fYQiINfZiJph7rMgcVvgkkKHdGLnGcDBAzl6laY11dVu91EwyUH9OpKXIwC75wz2JXSLHN4NbWMTR0_s7uCTzjOGHxVlNCLWajpzEcr4srLRPpBe4eZC1FGXQ07wsTCgYnnMAQAQBl7JnZ0j0f6I)\n\nMetals Australia CEO & Northern Resources President, Paul Ferguson, commented:\n\n“Our fully integrated graphite project in Quebec continues to impress. The\nresults we have reported from our prefeasibility study demonstrate that the\nupstream Mine and Flake Graphite Concentrate plant project, located near\nFermont, is economically attractive on a standalone basis.\n\nWe see the project as Canada’s next fully integrated high purity graphite\nproject - and we remain steadfast in our endeavour to progress it towards\ndevelopment.”\n\nFurther Information\n\nAdditional information is available at metalsaustralia.com.au/\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=zvL4WklUl2fwa6rv1BDP6bsVkkJspvJuaCjkKNfczzcOc77iF7edZE6w03leVdJQA3gd3-EF4jFfbY-4vHKFv0-gV6NIIYX_o2xR_NiuV1169q98NOzg6biWSUMhw_WJ)\nor contact:\n\n Paul Ferguson Chief Executive Officer info@metalsaustralia.com.au     Tanya Newby CFO/Joint Co. Secretary +61 (08) 9481 7833  Elizabeth Michael Investor Relations - Australia info@metalsaustralia.com.au  \n Simon Falrdeau Investor Relations – Canada simon@simonfalardeau.ca                                                                                                                                          \n                                                                                                                                                                                                             \n\nAbout Metals Australia Ltd\n\nMetals Australia Ltd (ASX: MLS) is a Critical Minerals Project Development\nCompany Headquartered in Perth, Western Australia. The Company – through its\nCanadian subsidiary, Northern Resources Inc., is advancing the development of\nits Lac Carheil high-grade flake-graphite project in Quebec - a high-quality\nproject well placed for the future delivery of premium and battery-grade\ngraphite products to the North American market.\n\n(https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/35a8b80b-b281-4a19-ac26-e3180d0d5137)\n\n\n\nGlobeNewswire, Inc. 2026"},"type":"article","timestamp":"2026-07-01T10:00:00.650529887Z","server_sent_at_ms":1782900000650},"received_at":"2026-07-01T10:00:00.701Z","source_url":"https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/07/01/3320431/0/en/Quebec-Graphite-Mine-and-Processing-Plant-Prefeasibility-Study-Confirms-Strong-Project-Economics.html"},"analysis":{"id":"66886","press_release_id":"77634","analysis_json":{"industry":{"label":"Metals & Mining","sector":"Materials"},"redFlags":[],"eventType":"operations_update","narrative":"Metals Australia released a positive Prefeasibility Study for its Lac Carheil Graphite Project in Quebec, confirming robust standalone economics for the proposed open-cut mine and processing plant.\n\nThe study outlines a 24-year mine life producing 101,241 tonnes per year of high-purity graphite concentrate, with a pre-tax NPV of US$553 million and a 22% IRR based on US$346.3 million in initial CapEx.\n\nManagement will now advance the project toward Final Feasibility, positioning it as a future supplier to North American battery supply chains with commercial operations targeted around 2030.","sentiment":"bullish","agentHooks":{"shouldPost":false,"suggestedAngle":"Strong PFS results de-risk Lac Carheil project, but still pre-feasibility stage."},"keyFigures":{"customDimensions":{"npv_cad":790000000,"npv_usd":553000000,"capex_usd":346300000,"irr_percent":22,"payback_years":4.2,"ore_reserve_mt":21.51,"mine_life_years":24,"grade_cg_percent":11.14,"annual_production_tonnes":101241,"contained_graphite_tonnes":2400000}},"quotedText":"The results we have reported from our prefeasibility study demonstrate that the upstream Mine and Flake Graphite Concentrate plant project, located near Fermont, is economically attractive on a standalone basis.","namedEntities":{"people":[{"name":"Paul Ferguson","role":"CEO"},{"name":"Tanya Newby","role":"CFO"},{"name":"Elizabeth Michael","role":"Investor Relations"},{"name":"Simon Falrdeau","role":"Investor Relations"}],"products":["Lac Carheil Graphite Project","Flake Graphite Concentrate plant"],"companies":[{"name":"Metals Australia Ltd","ticker":"MLS"},{"name":"Northern Resources Inc.","relationship":"wholly owned subsidiary"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"US$553 million","context":"pre-tax NPV using 8% discount rate"},{"amount":"C$790 m","context":"pre-tax NPV using 8% discount rate"},{"amount":"US$346.3 million","context":"Capital expenditure"}]},"materialImpact":{"score":3,"reasoning":"The PFS confirms robust project economics with a 22% IRR and a 4.2-year payback period, marking a significant de-risking milestone as the company advances to final feasibility. However, the project remains in the development stage with no revenue generation imminent."},"tickerRelevance":{"others":[],"primary":"MLS"},"globalImportance":25,"audienceRelevance":20,"eventTypeSecondary":[],"importanceComponents":{"tickerTier":"small-cap","eventGravity":"prefeasibility-study","sectorWeight":"materials"}},"event_type":"operations_update","event_type_secondary":null,"sentiment":"bullish","material_impact_score":3,"narrative":"Metals Australia released a positive Prefeasibility Study for its Lac Carheil Graphite Project in Quebec, confirming robust standalone economics for the proposed open-cut mine and processing plant.\n\nThe study outlines a 24-year mine life producing 101,241 tonnes per year of high-purity graphite concentrate, with a pre-tax NPV of US$553 million and a 22% IRR based on US$346.3 million in initial CapEx.\n\nManagement will now advance the project toward Final Feasibility, positioning it as a future supplier to North American battery supply chains with commercial operations targeted around 2030.","key_figures":{"customDimensions":{"npv_cad":790000000,"npv_usd":553000000,"capex_usd":346300000,"irr_percent":22,"payback_years":4.2,"ore_reserve_mt":21.51,"mine_life_years":24,"grade_cg_percent":11.14,"annual_production_tonnes":101241,"contained_graphite_tonnes":2400000}},"named_entities":{"people":[{"name":"Paul Ferguson","role":"CEO"},{"name":"Tanya Newby","role":"CFO"},{"name":"Elizabeth Michael","role":"Investor Relations"},{"name":"Simon Falrdeau","role":"Investor Relations"}],"products":["Lac Carheil Graphite Project","Flake Graphite Concentrate plant"],"companies":[{"name":"Metals Australia Ltd","ticker":"MLS"},{"name":"Northern Resources Inc.","relationship":"wholly owned subsidiary"}],"dollarAmounts":[{"amount":"US$553 million","context":"pre-tax NPV using 8% discount rate"},{"amount":"C$790 m","context":"pre-tax NPV using 8% discount rate"},{"amount":"US$346.3 million","context":"Capital expenditure"}]},"model_name":"qwen3_6_27b_awq","prompt_hash":"sha256:727b4b9429a443af","schema_hash":"sha256:05005c02d9cffac9","created_at":"2026-07-01T10:08:04.323Z","global_importance":25,"audience_relevance":20,"importance_components":{"tickerTier":"small-cap","eventGravity":"prefeasibility-study","sectorWeight":"materials"}},"durationMs":138838,"modelName":"george-droid-qwen-72b"}}