• Rising EV output fueling lithium demand from battery makers
• Chinese battery manufacturers hold dominant market position
• Lithium Chile output offers competitive balance to North American battery makers

Lithium Chile Inc. (TSX.V: LITH) (OTC: LTMCF) may be based in the Americas, but its eyes are cast to the East, where, according to Andrew Bowering, a director of the company, “China is ‘building battery manufacturing plants in anticipation of supplying batteries to what drives everything these days… from lawnmowers, to cell phones, to cars… now to buses, to 18-wheel trucks for Tesla.” (http://ibn.fm/48Soi). Chinese companies, already major players in lithium mining, are set to dominate the global electric-vehicle battery industry.

Planned battery plant production in China (approximately 130 GWh) is about three times the rest of the world combined. To stay in the game, battery manufacturers in the West are going to need outfits like Lithium Chile to secure supply. The company has the largest land package of any private lithium miner, with some of the highest sample grades recorded in Chile. Flush with cash and run by a highly experienced management team, Lithium Chile may help North American battery makers stay competitive despite China’s accelerating drive to lead the EV pack.

Reuters recently highlighted observations made by Bowering, founder of Millennial Lithium (TSX.V: ML) and director of Lithium Chile, with a report that “an unheralded maker of electric-vehicle batteries is planning a $1.3 billion factory with enough capacity to surpass the output of Tesla and dwarf the suppliers for battery-powered cars by GM, Nissan and Audi” (http://ibn.fm/V81OZ). The story was referring to Chinese manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (“CATL”), which already sells the most batteries to the biggest electric-vehicle makers in the world’s biggest EV market, China. The facility would make CATL “the world’s largest electric-vehicle battery cell manufacturer, ahead of Tesla, Warren Buffett-backed BYD Co. in China and South Korea’s LG Chem Ltd.”

Since 2015, China has been the world’s biggest market for electric cars. Sales of new-energy vehicles, including battery-powered, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell units, were 777,000 in 2017, and market sales are expected to reach one million units in 2018. Although there have been no official prescriptions, Chinese battery manufacturers are expected to purchase their lithium from Chinese-owned sources, according to Reuters. There’s no doubt that North American and European battery producers will have some catching up to do.

Like China, they will turn to the Lithium Triangle, an area in South America that includes parts of Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. The Lithium Triangle has 70 percent of the world’s lithium, with Chile alone being home to 52 percent of the global supply. Bolivia does not allow any foreign ownership, and Argentina’s lithium grades and reserves are significantly lower than Chile’s, which results in less opportunity, says Bowering. All told, Chile is the place to be, and that’s where Lithium Chile has its extensive portfolio of properties.

The company’s land package extends over approximately 152,000 hectares (586 square miles), the largest held by any private pure-play lithium operator. Moreover, the claims were purchased at approximately $3 per hectare, a steal of a deal compared to current prices of $1,500-$2,000 per hectare. In addition, soil samples have been consistently reported above the 1,000 mg per liter of lithium mark. This compares very favorably with production grade in the U.S., which is typically just 190-200 mg per liter of lithium.

Lithium Chile’s properties encompass 14 salars, or mineral salt flats, and one laguna complex. The portfolio includes 66 square kilometers on Chile’s largest mineral salt flat, the Salar de Atacama, which is currently the source of about 35 percent of the world’s lithium production and hosts the world’s highest concentration of lithium brines. The projects at Atacama, Coipasa, Helados, Ollague Turi and Talar have taken center stage because of their promise. For example, at the 2,200 hectare Ollague, the water table is just 40-50 cm deep, with at least one sample returning around 1,400 mg per liter of lithium.

Naturally, such high concentrations at such shallow depths reduce production costs. “Lithium brine production in Chile is the cheapest in the world and it’s less than half of our nearest competitors. Brine production here (is) in the order of $1,500-$1,800 per ton, while hard rock mining costs $5,000 per ton,” Terry Walker, VP Exploration and Chief Geologist, stated in a news release. The company has also identified an area of 58 square kilometers, at Coipasa, as a high-priority target (http://ibn.fm/pyJVu).

Operating in Chile, where infrastructure is already in place, and with a very experienced management team at the reins, Lithium Chile seems to be holding a good hand. “We flew beneath the radar screen to amass the land position we have,” added Steve Cochrane, President and CEO, “but now we’re about to let everybody know that we’re to be taken seriously”.

For more information, visit the company’s website at http://ibn.fm/LTMCF

• U.S. meetings and events industry generates more than $330 billion annually in direct spending and more than $845 billion in business sales
• Unified Payments’ solution significantly streamlines and simplifies event processing
• Solution enhances existing acceptance services with intelligent integration for point-of-sale systems, self-order kiosks, chargeback protection and multi-channel payment acceptance

In the United States, the meetings and events industry is continually expanding across all segments and is a driving force that supports almost six million jobs and pumps hundreds of billions of dollars into the nation’s economy. Recent data from the Events Industry Council indicates that this industry currently generates more than $330 billion in direct spending and over $845 billion in business sales annually.

Leading global technology and value-added solutions group Net Element, Inc. (NASDAQ: NETE) is establishing a foothold in this robust market with the launch of a brand new intelligent payment solution created specifically for the events industry.

Unified Payments, a subsidiary of Net Element, now offers a complete solution for event processing that enables merchants to maximize their sales, shorten their ticket lines and enhance the overall customer experience. The company’s unique solutions go into action the instant that ticket sales commence for an event, and the robust package offered by Unified Payments transforms event processing and makes it significantly simpler overall.

Unified Payments’ solution boosts existing acceptance services with intelligent integration for point-of-sale systems, self-order kiosks, chargeback protection and multi-channel payment acceptance. Program options like Fast Pass Funding, same-day funding, Zero Pay and the Complimentary Equipment Placement Program are offered to all events industry merchants throughout North America.

The Zero Pay program enables merchants to collect 100 percent of the sales revenue for their event through a cash payment discount for customers who pay by check, credit or debit card. This program includes free equipment rental, mobile point-of-sale, an optional e-commerce platform, same-day funding, an onsite technician and an analytics platform.

The Standard Plan offered to event merchants allows them to accept payments regardless of where a customer is located or how they are paying. With this plan, merchants can unify all payments and optimize the payment acceptance process. The Standard Plan includes free equipment rental, mobile point-of-sale, self-order kiosks, an optional e-commerce platform, an onsite technician, same-day funding and an analytics platform.

The feature-rich payment acceptance solutions now made available for event managers and merchants through Net Element and Unified Payments have the potential to revolutionize the way event transactions are processed. Additional information can be found at http://ibn.fm/6j5zR.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.NetElement.com

• Company receives final geological review of the Juina claims, a key element of the application process
• Environmental control plan and associated fees submitted to the local authorities in view of obtaining a preliminary environmental license
• Maxtech Ventures has four claims totaling 40,000 hectares in Mato Grosso, Brazil

Canadian-based Maxtech Ventures Inc. (CSE: MVT) (OTC: MTEHF) (FRANKFURT: M1N), a diversified industries corporation with a focus on manganese mineral assets, has moved one step closer to commencing initial mining operations at its flagship properties in Juina, Mato Grosso, Brazil. The company recently announced that it has received a final geological review for its Brasnorte Project in Juina, a key element of the trial mining license application process, also known as the Guia process, of the Brazilian mining authority. The review, conducted by SGS Geosol Laboratorios LTDA., Belo Horizonte, Brazil, showed values of 51.4 percent to 55.9 percent manganese metal at these claims.

The Guia application has already been filed, and associated fees have been lodged with the country’s mining department, Departamento Nacional de Produção Mineral (DNPM), Maxtech Ventures announced in a company update (http://ibn.fm/dL8aF). Additionally, the company completed and submitted an environmental control plan (Plano de Controle Ambiental – PCA) in view of obtaining a preliminary environmental license for the four claims. The PCA has been submitted to the Mato Grosso State Environmental Agency (SEMA) for review. The company’s Brazil team has also filed an operations license in Cuiaba with the State Environmental Agency so as to speed up the Guia process. Once all of the documentation is reviewed, state authorities will notify Maxtech of government agent visits to vet the trial mining application for final approval.

“We are very close to obtaining final approval to commence initial mining operations in Mato Grosso, where we currently have four claims totaling 40,000 hectares,” Maxtech Ventures CEO Peter Wilson said in a news release. “These claims contain numerous manganese occurrences, discovered through reconnaissance prospecting, and we are progressing well within the timeframe we have set to ramp up a full mining plan.” In conjunction with its strategic partner in the area, Grupo Maringá – one of the largest manganese ferroalloy producers in South America, Maxtech has begun a due diligence phase at additional claims with high-grade potential.

To fast-track the application process for trial mining licenses at its Brasnorte Project claims, Maxtech is working together with the University of Brasilia and the Instituto de Geosciencias to use state-of-the-art technology for data acquisition, geological mapping and identification of field anomalies at the project. The collaboration allows for the creation of masters and doctorate jobs for students as part of Maxtech’s commitment to supporting the efforts of Brazilian universities, as well as geological institutes. The company plans to expand its Brazilian operations into other states, including Rondonia and Goias, and it has already signed a letter of interest with a Goias-based manganese mining operation.

Separate operations have been kicked off in Central Province, Zambia, where the company has engaged geological and exploration consultants GeoQuest to oversee ground operations. Via dedicated subsidiary Maxtech Mining Zambia Limited, the company has filed for two large scale exploration licenses for manganese in the African country. The division will mostly focus on the uses of manganese for the battery manufacturing industry, with plans to supply large markets such as India and China.

Maxtech is focused on three key markets with high demand for manganese: agriculture – where it is used in fertilizer for higher yields and greener crops; industrial – where it is a critical component in steel production; and technology – where high-grade manganese is a key element of rechargeable power cells and in the manufacturing of lithium manganese dioxide (LMD) batteries, which have a higher capacity, higher energy density and overall longer lifecycles. LMD batteries are already used to power several types of electric vehicles.

With the electric vehicle market expected to continue its rapid growth to reach more than 50 million EVs by 2021, and with China being the world’s largest consumer and manufacturer of electric vehicles, Maxtech Ventures will be uniquely positioned to become a leading provider of manganese and a driving force in the green energy revolution surrounding the growing use of rechargeable LMD batteries. The company’s long-term strategy is to grow into an international industrial minerals producer that will provide manganese in both ore and processed form to global markets in North America, Europe and Asia.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Maxtech-Ventures.com

• Gerald Bailey says events in Middle East and Venezuela may push oil prices higher
• Two years ago, Bailey accurately predicted the start of an upward oil price trend
• Petroteq’s unique technology can extract oil from sand at a cost of $25 per barrel

The director and president of Petroteq Energy Inc. (TSX.V: PQE) (OTCQX: PQEFF) has said that oil prices could reach $80 per barrel this year and rise further up to $100 in the near future. Dr. R. Gerald Bailey was appearing in an interview with Fox Business on May 23, two years after he made another prediction of oil price trends, which proved to be accurate (http://ibn.fm/YUqri).

Bailey told Stuart Varney on Varney & Co. that prices could reach $80 a barrel this year and go higher still. “Let’s not frighten people and think it’s going to be $100, but don’t be surprised. It reached that two and a half, three years ago, so it’s not out of the picture,” he said.

With over 50 years in the industry, Bailey bases his analysis on the political climate in key oil-producing regions. “My case is the volatility is so crazy in the oil business. It’s typically now in the oil casino, you might say. And there’s so many geo-political things going on, happening in the world… Iran, Venezuela, and then the Middle East is always bubbling as usual.” Trouble in the Middle East or a disruption in the oil supply from Venezuela might send prices soaring even higher, Bailey said.

As a guest on the same television program two years ago, Bailey made what turned out to be an accurate forecast of oil prices. Speaking about that prediction, he said, “You know, I was on your show two years ago and I called the bottom that day at $29. And you asked me, ‘How do you know this?’ I said, ‘I’ve been in this business a long time.’ I walked out of your studio that day and prices have been going up ever since.”

With oil prices at their highest level in four years and still rising, Bailey said that Petroteq will be another source of energy for the country. The company’s environmentally-friendly oil extraction technology can reclaim oil from sand at a cost of about $25 per barrel, he said, which means that Petroteq’s process will remain profitable, even when oil prices go down. “It’ll make money and it’s good for the country,” he said.

The Petroteq president also spoke of the company’s heavy oil extraction plant in Asphalt Ridge, Utah, where it holds a mineral lease that covers more than 3,000 acres with oil sands reserves estimated at 87 million barrels of oil equivalent. Petroteq has recently expanded the production capacity of its plant from 250 to 1,000 barrels per day and has the capability to further increase the capacity in the future. Utah contains about 55 percent of the total oil sand deposits in the U.S., which hold an oil resource of over 30 billion barrels.

Unlike other extraction technologies, Bailey said, Petroteq’s methods will not leave behind the tailing ponds that blight other oil sand extraction sites. “It’s not this stuff like in Canada that gives you a lot of water sludge and terrible tailing ponds. Ours is a waterless, environmentally-friendly process.” He added, “We will take the sand, treat it with our secret sauce, clean it up, put it back on the ground and, as I say, you could grow tomatoes in it when you’re finished.”

Petroteq’s proprietary solution is cost effective, produces no greenhouse gases, leaves no waste and provides significantly better economies of scale through modular expansion. The company’s oil sands extraction technology has been so far awarded two patents in the United States and Canada.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Petroteq.energy

• Stock split, CSE listing show evidence of company’s shareholder commitment
• PreveCeutical balancing need for unique profit-building intellectual property with mission to offer affordable products to patients
• Manufacturer agreement, licensed shipments advance CBD therapy research
• Alternative medicines market valued at more than $40 billion

PreveCeutical Medical Inc.’s (CSE: PREV) (OTCQB: PRVCF) (FSE: 18H) dedication to developing preventative medical therapies based on the identified health benefits of natural substances in controllable formulations that are both affordable to consumers and potentially profitable to investors is on display in the company’s recent shareholder-approved forward stock split and the opening of trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange.

PreveCeutical’s shares began trading on the CSE on an “ex-distribution” basis on May 23 (http://ibn.fm/4uVIu), the day before the recording date for the stock split, which was set at a five new common shares for each one existing common share basis (http://ibn.fm/2bYA7).

“We believe the Stock Split demonstrates the Company’s continued commitment to broaden its shareholder base and we anticipate that the Stock Split will make PreveCeutical’s securities more accessible to investors and enhance liquidity for shareholders,” CEO, president and board Chairman Stephen Van Deventer stated in announcing the dates.

PreveCeutical has five research and development programs under way to target type 2 diabetes and obesity, pain relief in a non-addicting manner, mild traumatic brain injury in athletes, cancer and various other ailments. PreveCeutical also sells CELLB9®, an Immune System Booster. CELLB9® is an oral solution containing polarized and potentiated essential minerals extracted from a novel peptide obtained from Caribbean Blue Scorpion venom.  This product is available on the company’s website (www.CELLB9.com).

“When we’ve developed proof-of-concept on any of these projects, we intend to partner with other companies who will fund clinical trials,” Van Deventer said in a May interview with Financial Post (http://ibn.fm/ntpDx).

Chief Research Officer Dr. Harry Parekh, who leads the drug/gene delivery group at PreveCeutical’s University of Queensland’s research partner Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence (“PACE”), who developed the Sol-gel drug delivery mechanism employed by PreveCeutical as well as the technology that stabilizes molecules to make them viable as the company’s therapeutic products. Sol-gel refers to a water-soluble gel formulation that can be used to transport a drug into the body via the nasal cavity, for example, where it is expected to gain direct access to the brain and thus enhance its effectiveness.

“I’ve been courted by a number of entities to work on research projects in relation to my platforms and it’s fair to say that big pharma is not a good match for me,” Parekh told Financial Post, adding that PreveCeutical proved to be a good partner for him because “they understood my mission to translate technologies to medications in a moral and ethical fashion, with the goal of drastically reducing costs for end users … (while recognizing) the fundamental necessity of developing exploitable IP,” or intellectual property, for the benefit of investors.

One of PreveCeutical’s key efforts is to use Sol-gel to make cannabidiol (CBD) optimally bioavailable to patients dealing with pain, inflammation, seizures and neurological issues such as anxiety. CBD is a non-psychoactive product of the cannabis plant gaining wide use as a food additive in homeopathic consumables, but the Sol-gel formulation would allow the CBD to get to work without having to run through the potentially destructive gauntlet of the digestive system’s organs. PreveCeutical recently announced a non-disclosure agreement with a leading drug delivery device manufacturer to work with the Sol-gels (http://ibn.fm/XtOzt), as well as the second successful licensed international transport of dried cannabis materials for the PACE center’s research on the Sol-gels (http://ibn.fm/an4A0).

Grandview Research found that the market for alternative medicines was valued at $40.3 billion at the time of its study three years ago. The report found that 60 percent of the world’s population uses some type of traditional or non-conventional medicine, and a separate report by The National Center for Disease Control found that 20 percent of the United States’ population uses alternative therapies, as noted in a Crystal Equity Research Report on PreveCeutical (http://ibn.fm/3khou).

Crystal Equity’s report concluded that, “We expect 2018 will be a significant year for PreveCeutical Medical with numerous value-driving catalysts unfolding.”

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.PreveCeutical.com

• Montenegro’s statistical office notes that the total number of foreign visitors in 2017 rose 19.2 percent, with seaside resorts attracting 54.8 percent of all overnight stays in December
• Housing prices in Balkan nation ticked upward by 8.59 percent during 2017
• Montenegro’s growing, open market economy and multicultural population draws adventure seekers from around the world
• American-Swiss negotiating purchase of beachfront properties in popular tourist destination

As an early-mover investor in the Montenegrin real estate market, American-Swiss Capital, Inc. is smartly focused on a trend in global travel as tourism blossoms in the sovereign state’s resort towns along the Adriatic seaside coastline. Known for its rich array of attractions and natural beauty, Montenegro joined NATO in June 2017 and has been using the euro since 2002, even though it is not yet a formal partner in the eurozone. The European Commission has indicated that Montenegro could join the EU in 2025, which the country’s diplomats and leaders are backing in a flurry of activity (http://ibn.fm/GH9rr).

American-Swiss Capital, a privately owned development stage company with headquarters in Miami, Florida, is targeting real estate developments in Montenegro along several fronts, with properties capable of providing a high ROI. Topping the undervalued real estate investment chart is an 18-unit beachfront apartment development (http://ibn.fm/6RMxu). American-Swiss is presently in negotiations to purchase the property, which is situated in the beautiful Boka Bay community of Tivat – an extremely popular tourism destination. The property has been valued at $4.5 million, however American-Swiss and its highly skilled management team is negotiating for a $2 million price tag. Apartment unit sizes vary from 60-160 square meters, and the property itself boasts a private beach with a fixed pontoon boat berth close to the full-service marina of Porto Montenegro.

A second, very favorable yet undervalued development project is a 36,000 square meter section of land located in the famous, UNESCO-protected Bay of Kotor, about 6.2 kilometers from Porto Montenegro. Lonely Planet describes the Bay of Kotor as “breathtaking, majestic, divine,” and a slice of earth that defies geographic description (http://ibn.fm/WWuxH). The company’s vision for this location includes building a gated community with 30 villas, each measuring about 360 square meters (or about 3,875 square feet). Total cost of this project is estimated at around $9.3 million, which American-Swiss states could be funded by presales and debt financing.

The total number of tourists who visited Montenegro in 2017 rose 19.2 percent to 843,609, according to the country’s statistical office (http://ibn.fm/v8zbP). Seaside resorts attracted 54.8 percent of all overnight stays in December 2017, followed by the country’s capital, Podgorica, with 23 percent. Tourism accounts for roughly 20 percent of the Balkan nation’s gross domestic product, bringing in nearly three times as many visitors as the country’s total population every year, an article in the Washington Diplomat states (http://ibn.fm/w1ZSK).

American-Swiss Capital originated in 2015 with the mission of serving as a conduit between the U.S. equity markets and leading enterprises in Switzerland and Northern Europe. American-Swiss Capital’s experienced management team possesses the knowledge and skills required to consistently provide accurate and reliable research specifically designed to identify the safest and most profitable investment opportunities.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.AS-Capital.com

• Most internet connections are made by mobile
• Despite smartphone capability, mobile marketing is limited by diversity of options
• Universal Mobile Interface™ can reach wide consumer base by integrating diverse systems

Smart as they are, smartphones do not always deliver the same satisfying user experience one gets with a desktop. Limitations of size means that their screens are small, and, since the keypad in some models may escape detection by anyone with hyperopia, it’s fortunate that most users not only do not suffer from that affliction but are blessed with opposable thumbs that they can deploy to dispatch text. In addition, there are so many different mobile operating systems that it’s difficult to connect one smartphone to another for anything more than phone calls or texts. Yet, smartphones dominate the digital domain and are likely to continue doing so. However, Consorteum Holdings (OTC: CSRH) is aiming to bridge the mobile divide. The company’s Universal Mobile Interface™ (“UMI”) technology will allow it to jointly develop internal and third party solutions for a broad range of vertical markets. The Consorteum UMI may be just the technology to unlock the potential of mobile marketing.

Mobile phones have undergone rapid development in the age of the internet. They’re smarter and more powerful, able to take pictures, create videos and link to GPS systems to help you find your way in the world. However, although a contemporary smartphone has more capability than the Voyager I spacecraft launched in 1977, its use as a marketing channel appears to be defying exploitation.

Initially, of course, mobile phones were connected to a cellular network rather than the internet, which was itself in the formative stages of development. Early connection to the internet was made by hardwire dial-up. Now, most phones are able to connect to the internet and transfer data under various data plans, which is why, perhaps, mobile makes up 51.2 percent (April 2018) of internet connections, with desktop lagging far behind at 44.66 percent (http://ibn.fm/KwUl7).

However, marketers must master a daunting array of models and configurations to target consumers through mobile marketing, even though there are just two main operating systems. In April, iOS held a 19.23 percent market share, while Android had 75.66 percent of the market (http://ibn.fm/CM1l7). The UMI may be the platform to link those diverse configurations.

Developed by Consorteum subsidiary 359 Mobile Inc., the UMI is a state-of-the-art platform for integrating any stream of data onto a mobile platform. The technology has the capacity to provide solutions in fintech, data analytics, secure payment processing, compliance lead transaction management and various digital social event sectors. The UMI platform also allows cross operating system development to support all mobile devices while addressing the complex and highly regulated needs of the mobile fintech industry. 359 Mobile Inc. plans to use the UMI platform to provide a more satisfying user experience for the millions who use smartphones at work and in play.

The development team at 359 Mobile has created an end-to-end fintech solution using the UMI technology platform to overcome the poor mobile application and transaction solutions currently experienced by users. Consorteum believes that 359 Mobile’s innovative development initiatives will present opportunities for other partnerships and joint ventures in many different market sectors in the future.

The company is currently focused on developing and delivering fintech solutions to the mobile gaming industry. The company believes that there will be new opportunities in the gaming sector to provide mobile marketing services to consumers, real-time services to mobile sports book operators, fixed-odds betting solutions and social-based transactions.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Consorteum.com

• Increased EV production is driving development of battery technologies
• LMD batteries deliver high power output, thermal stability and enhanced safety
• Extensive manganese assets in Brazil and Zambia at easily accessible depths

Driven by increasing production of electric vehicles (EVs), demand for the metals used in the manufacture of EV batteries has risen, and so has their prices. Analysts at Morgan Stanley expect ‘lithium prices to peak at around $13,000 a ton this year’, according to a report by Business Insider, and the price of cobalt, currently $91,000 per tonne (metric ton), has risen over 70 percent in the past year (http://ibn.fm/0UeQ0). Yet the price of manganese seems unable to cross the $2,120 per tonne mark, where it has floundered since 2013 (http://ibn.fm/mAjHZ). That is likely to change soon, a development upon which Maxtech Ventures Inc. (OTC: MTEHF) (CSE: MVT) (FRANKFURT: M1N) is betting. As battery manufacturers turn to lithiated manganese dioxide (LMD) batteries, the junior exploration company continues to advance work on several high-grade manganese projects. It recently announced plans to form a joint venture with Andorra Participacoes e Empredimentos Ltda to explore 40,000 hectares in the State of Pará, Brazil.

The use of manganese in batteries predates the proliferation of lithium technologies. It is used extensively in the form of electrolytic manganese (EMD) as the cathode for batteries, with higher-grade EMD being employed in AA and AAA batteries and lower quality used to make C and D batteries. Although practically no EMD is produced in North America, the region uses about half of global production.

Industry analysts at Grandview have estimated that global demand for EMD will continue to grow at a CAGR of 4.9 percent until 2022, driven by continued demand for alkaline batteries and increased adoption of LMD batteries. LMD batteries, which typically use a mix of four percent lithium, 61 percent manganese and 35 percent oxygen by atomic weight, demonstrate high power output, thermal stability and enhanced safety when compared to other lithium-ion battery technologies. Presently, LMD batteries are being used in the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf, and their adoption is likely to increase. Researchers at the University of Illinois have achieved an advanced prototype battery, using LMD, which can be recharged in as little as two minutes, about the same time required to fill a gas tank.

Manganese is also an essential alloy in steel manufacture and, like iron, occurs abundantly in the Earth’s crust. Alloyed with aluminum, it appears in cans, which contain about 1.5 percent manganese. The metal also has non-metallurgical uses in electronics, as a micronutrient in fertilizers and animal feed, in water treatment and as a colorant for bricks, glass, textiles and tiles.

Maxtech plans to undertake several high-grade manganese projects in Brazil. It is aiming to become a global supplier, with customers in Europe, North America and Asia. Despite the remote location of its manganese assets in Brazil, the areas are well served by infrastructure, with, for example, several commercial river ports and roads. The company is presently focused on its claims in Juina in the state of Mato Grosso. Occurrences of manganese stretch across a belt of at least 250 kilometers between Mato Grosso and Rondonia, a neighboring state. Most of the mineralization lies close to the surface, extending to over 80 meters in depth, with reported grades reaching 54 percent or higher. Thus, most of the mining can be done using relatively inexpensive methods, including hand-dug pits, mobile auger drills and trenching.

Additionally, Maxtech recently announced that it has filed a trial mining license, or Guia application, on the Juina claim.  The company is awaiting approval to begin mining operations in Mato Grosso. The company opened a subsidiary in Zambia in April and is filing two large-scale exploration licenses in areas of manganese mineralization near 60 percent manganese. Maxtech anticipates approval of these submissions in 60 days and intends to commence operations in Zambia shortly thereafter.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Maxtech-Ventures.com

• Development of blockchain-based, supply chain management platform for oil and gas industry continues under PetroBLOQ banner
• Key markets identified for expansion plans include Russia, Ukraine and Switzerland
• Russian oil production reached 30-year high of 10.98 million barrels per day in 2017, making Russian oil and gas companies ideal candidates for PetroBLOQ technology
• Petroteq’s patent-protected clean technology for extraction of oil from sands and shale bolsters world’s green energy goals

Petroteq Energy Inc. (TSX.V: PQE) (OTCQX: PQEFF), focused on the development and implementation of proprietary, environmentally-friendly heavy oil extraction technologies for the energy industry, intends to expand its footprint by opening PetroBLOQ marketing offices in several key strategic locations around the globe. PetroBLOQ is the company’s advanced blockchain initiative aimed at solving the global supply chain and transaction management challenges facing the oil and gas industry.

PetroBLOQ, which recently joined the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance, the world’s largest open-source blockchain initiative with over 200 members, is currently under development. A May 9 news release shows the company’s level of commitment through the opening of its PetroBLOQ Blockchain Labs in California (http://ibn.fm/ACyof). The company has leased purpose-built space and staffed the facility with blockchain and smart contract developers and UX/UI designers. PetroBLOQ is poised to become the first blockchain-based platform developed exclusively for the supply chain needs of the oil and gas sector.

Petroteq’s expansion of its PetroBLOQ consortium includes the previously announced addition of PEMEX, the Mexican state-owned petroleum company, and SOCAR Energy Ukraine, Ltd., a subsidiary of the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic. The newly announced initiatives targeting Switzerland, Russia and Ukraine are based on a strategic analysis of the oil and gas industry’s growth in each country and the healthy interest shown by firms seeking the efficiency, transparency and decentralized technologies inherent in blockchain distributed ledger technology.

“We have been gaining traction with oil and gas related companies to our PetroBLOQ platform,” Alex Blyumkin, chairman of Petroteq’s board of directors, said in a May 14 news release (http://ibn.fm/6YQxo). “We feel that bolstering our international presence in key markets will create an advantage as we move forward with the platform’s development.”

Adding to the company’s deep background in the international oil and energy space, Petroteq recently appointed Frank Ingriselli to its advisory board. Ingriselli is a seasoned leader and entrepreneur with wide-ranging oil exploration experience in diverse geographies, business climates and political environments over the past three decades. He is the founder, president and CEO of Blackhawk Energy Ventures, a company focused on identifying and acquiring undervalued oil assets and maximizing their production and profit through the use of cost-effective, low-overhead programs aimed at bottom line profitability through operational efficiency and market responsiveness.

“We are excited to have Frank on our team,” David Sealock, CEO of Petroteq, said in announcing Ingriselli’s appointment to the board (http://ibn.fm/1sXFg). “We believe that his notable background and expertise in international oil and energy will serve as an invaluable tool for the development of our future strategy.”

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Petroteq.energy

• TGOD is one of only three of the 104 Canadian cannabis cultivators that grows organically and has received organic certification
• Strategic partnership with power company Eaton Corp. will substantially lower electricity costs and increase TGOD’s margins
• TGOD undergoing a fully funded 970,000 square foot expansion to increase its production capacity to 116,000 kg
• Company obtained Health Canada license to produce cannabis oils
• TGOD entered into exclusive licensing agreement with Colorado-based CBx Enterprises LLC

The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TSX: TGOD) is setting a new standard for cannabis production. Based in Hamilton, Ontario, the company is one of only three out of 104 licensed Canadian cannabis cultivators that grow the product organically. On May 9, the company announced that it had received organic certification from Ecocert Canada, an internationally recognized world-leading organization in organic certification (http://ibn.fm/YgIiN). The result is cannabis of the highest quality that’s virtually free of pesticides and contaminants. In addition, TGOD has formed a strategic partnership with Eaton Corp. plc (NYSE: ETN), one of the largest power companies in the world, to lower electricity costs. These initiatives ensure that the company’s high-quality product demands a premium in the market, increasing its margins.

TGOD uses all natural, organic craft growing principles to cultivate synthetic pesticide-free medical cannabis. Through the deployment of its innovative technology and low-power solutions, the company is positioning itself as one of the most cost-efficient, superior-quality cannabis producers in Canada. TGOD has also formed an alliance with Hamilton Utilities Corporation in Ontario, which has resulted in a significant reduction in its power costs. The company has another larger cultivation facility planned and located in Quebec, the province with the lowest power rates in Canada.

The company’s partnership with Eaton Corp. is of tremendous benefit to both parties. By optimizing TGOD’s power costs to some of the lowest in the industry, Eaton intends to corner business in the rapidly growing cannabis market and establish itself as a leader in power management and lighting for cannabis cultivation. TGOD has also formed partnerships with Ledcor Group, one of the most respected vertically integrated construction companies in Canada, and the most technologically advanced greenhouse engineers, Larssen Ltd. This consortium will bring its world-class expertise to ensure that the company’s projects are completed on time and within budget.

The company is currently undergoing phased construction of a 970,000 square foot expansion to it greenhouse facilities in Ontario and Quebec. This will increase cannabis production to 116,000 kilograms per year. The project will be funded by a recently secured $112 million private placement, which includes a $55 million strategic investment by another established cannabis grower, Aurora Cannabis Inc. (OTCQX: ACBFF) (TSX: ACB). This partnership with Aurora will position TGOD to have some of the largest and most technically advanced production facilities in the world (http://ibn.fm/m3Nec).

The expansion to TGOD’s facility in Hamilton, Ontario, is expected to increase annual production to 14,000 kilograms by the end of 2018. This will bring the capacity of this facility up to 150,000 square feet. The company’s much larger cultivation facility on its 75-acre property in Quebec will cover 820,000 square feet when complete. Construction is currently underway, and TGOD expects it to be completed by Q2 2019.

The company also has plans to secure a share of the growing cannabis oils market and recently obtained a supplemental license from Health Canada to produce cannabis oils. The license, effective April 20, 2018, will be crucial for furthering TGOD’s research and development in the niche and for expanding its intellectual property portfolio with new, high-quality organic products, according to CEO and Co-Chairman Robert Anderson (http://ibn.fm/tf6p4).

Cannabis oil is an essential raw material for the production of several recreational market verticals, including edibles, concentrates, beverages and topicals. TGOD has commissioned a purpose-built cannabis oil extraction facility, using CO2 extraction technology. This commercial-scale extraction unit will be able to process up to 12,500 kilograms of raw material per year, which will produce high-quality organic cannabis oils.

TGOD also recently announced an exclusive licensing agreement with CBx Enterprises LLC for the licensing of the Evolab and CBx Sciences brands and proprietary technologies and formulations within Canada and other international jurisdictions outside of the United States. The CBx team brings decades of experience developing and marketing a diverse array of unique, first-to-market medical and recreational cannabis products. The licensing arrangement is expected to immediately expand The Green Organic Dutchman’s product and technology portfolio and position the company for the successful development of new products as Canadian and global product requirements and standards rapidly evolve (http://ibn.fm/eVecD).

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.TGOD.ca