• EVIO is the leading cannabis analytical testing company in the United States
• Acquisition of Leaf Detective provides a significant increase to EVIO’s testing capacity

On April 30, 2018, EVIO Inc. (OTCQB: EVIO) announced that it had executed an asset purchase agreement to acquire 100 percent of Leaf Detective, LLC, a California-based testing laboratory (http://ibn.fm/NPCrj). EVIO is the leading provider of cannabis testing and scientific research for the regulated cannabis industry. This strategic acquisition aligns with the company’s efforts to expand its analytical testing services to meet the increasing demand for these services in the state of California.

In terms of the agreement, EVIO will form a new entity, EVIO Labs Humboldt, to purchase all of Leaf Detective’s business assets for a total consideration of $500,000 in the form of a Convertible Promissory Note, which is convertible at $1.25 per share. The purchase includes brand, customer lists and contracts, rental agreements, equipment and equipment leases.

Leaf Detective is Humboldt County’s first licensed cannabis testing facility. The laboratory specializes in analytical testing for medical marijuana dispensaries, cannabis manufacturers, producers and consumers. It is an independently owned and operated testing facility that is dedicated to providing timely and accurate test results.

The Californian cannabis industry is predicting a shortage of testing services due to the state’s July 1 testing deadline requiring licensed retailers to sell only lab-tested products. This shortage will lead to delays in getting approval to sell the products. EVIO’s acquisition of Leaf Detective will capitalize on the current situation by increasing its testing capacity to meet the anticipated demand for testing services.

In a news release, William Waldrop, CEO of EVIO, stated, “Leaf Detective holds one of only 28 licenses issued by the Bureau of Cannabis Control for testing facilities. Upon completion of this acquisition, we will upgrade the facility to meet new testing standards and plan to be operational by end of third quarter. Our goal is to continue to improve consumer safety and increase shareholder value by capturing additional market share.”

Leaf Detective is located within the Emerald Triangle region of Northern California, the largest cannabis-producing region in the United States. This will give EVIO exposure to a larger customer base. A report by Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics, a cannabis industry research firm, estimates that California cannabis sales will reach $3.7 billion by the end of 2018 and predicts that sales will grow to $5.1 billion in 2019 (http://ibn.fm/Y3Xkr).

“The expansion of our footprint is a clear reflection of the progress we are making in establishing the EVIO brand as one of the most prominent, safe and trustworthy testing laboratories in the State of California for cannabis,” Waldrop added.

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

• 12 more U.S. states likely to approve medicinal or recreational use of cannabis in 2018
• Hemp-derived CBD market on course for CAGR of 55 percent over next five years
• Ventures in both MMJ and recreational marijuana hedge bets

The tide of cannabis legalization sweeping over North America continues to rise despite intractable federal prohibition in the United States. In the U.S., 29 states and the District of Columbia allow cannabis for medical use. In nine of those jurisdictions, adult recreational use is also permitted. Another 12 are considering easing restrictions on cannabis use by the end of the year. In Canada, the recreational market is set for opening by fall. As a result, the cannabis market outlook is bright. A recent report valued the global legal cannabis market at $14.3 billion in 2016 and projected a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.1 percent until 2024, to reach $63.5 billion (http://ibn.fm/8kj1R). In the fastest growing segment of this market is where you will find innovative biotechnology company Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTC: ETST). The hemp-derived CBD market, in which it operates, is ballooning at a CAGR of 55 percent. At that rate, it will cross the billion-dollar mark in five years. With its ventures in leading edge, cannabinoid-based pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products, ETST is poised to share in that market growth.

Fuel is being added to the cannabis fire. In November 2018, initiatives allowing recreational use are likely to be on the ballot in six states, including Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio and Rhode Island. Vermont has already been there and done that. In January 2018, the state legislature passed a bill allowing recreational use, the first and only state to do so prompted by legislative initiative, rather than by being put to voters at ballot. In five more states – Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Utah – legalization questions on medical marijuana may face voters in November 2018, according to Newsweek (http://ibn.fm/HjTMY). If cannabis continues on its roll, 41 states and DC will have legalized cannabis for medicinal purposes, while 15 and DC will permit adult recreational use, by the end of 2018.

To enter this brave new world of cannabis liberalization, ETST is developing a portfolio of new products while aggressively pursuing growth through joint ventures and acquisitions. In this vein, newly created division Cannabis Therapeutic Inc. will develop proprietary cannabinoid-based nutraceuticals and pharmaceutical products based on an existing CBD patent. The company continues its activities in the hemp-derived cannabinoid (CBD), nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and medical device markets. In addition, it is pursuing a vigorous program of R&D and continued development of its marketing and distribution channels.

The company’s purchase of Canna Inno Laboratories Inc. is already paying off. The acquisition, partly designed to gain access to Canadian government funding, has scored on that front. In March 2018, ETST announced that Canna Inno Laboratories had received a supporting grant for innovation in the pharmaceutical industry from the Ministère de l’économie, des sciences et de l’innovation of the Government of Québec.

This first grant is earmarked for the pre-launch processes on the company’s three CBD-based nutraceutical provisional patent products. The pre-launch process includes a series of pre-clinical in vitro trials to fight breast cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. Thereafter, patent applications will be submitted, with the products expected to be commercialized as nutraceuticals during the waiting period. The company also plans to apply for more funding under Canada’s Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Credit program, among others. Earth Science expects that, through this new subsidiary, about half of all R&D expenditures will be covered by grants.

ETST is also venturing into the recreational market. A joint venture with Karmavore SuperFood is set to manufacture a new chocolate product, and one with Varsity Group, LLC, a kanna ingredient based e-liquid company, will give Earth Science a presence in the recreational vape/smoke market.

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

• Company completes IPO for total gross proceeds of more than $115 million
• Common shares, as well as common share purchase warrants, commenced trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange today
• Aurora Cannabis exercised full participation right for IPO on a pro-rata basis

The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TSX: TGOD), a research and development company licensed under Canada’s Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) to cultivate medical cannabis, this morning announced the completion of its initial public offering and commenced trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The company’s IPO consisted of 31.51 million units priced at $3.65 per unit, generating gross proceeds of more than $115 million.

Aurora Cannabis Inc. (TSX: ACB) (OTCQX: ACBFF), a fellow ACMPR licensed producer and established leader in Canada’s burgeoning cannabis space, accounted for roughly 17.5 percent of the IPO issue, investing $23.1 million in exchange for 6.3 million units and exercising its full participation right on a pro-rata basis. This investment comes just months after Aurora announced the completion of a $55 million investment in TGOD and entered a supply contract providing Aurora with the right to purchase up to 20 percent of the annual production of organic cannabis from TGOD’s cultivation facilities.

TGOD is currently focused on the renovation of its existing greenhouse facilities in Ancaster, Ontario, and Valleyfield, Quebec. In January, the company detailed plans for an expansion of its 970,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art, ultra-high technology hybrid greenhouse facilities that is expected to create “one of the largest and most technologically advanced cannabis production facilities in the world, producing ultra-low cost, premium-quality organic cannabis.”

In late afternoon trading, TGOD’s shares were up about 10 percent on volume of more than 8.4 million.

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

• Shares of The Green Organic Dutchman commenced trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange today under the symbol “TGOD”
• TGOD has raised approximately $270 million in private placements with over 5,000 shareholders, including a $55 million strategic investment from established marijuana industry leader Aurora Cannabis
• TGOD has a funded capacity of 116,000 kg of premium organic cannabis
• Canada slated to legalize adult use recreational cannabis in mid-2018

The Green Organic Dutchman Ltd. (TSX: TGOD) has successfully raised more than $270 million in private placements with over 5,000 shareholders. Through these efforts, TGOD is establishing one of the largest organic cannabis companies based on funded capacity. Its investors include Aurora Cannabis Inc. (OTCQX: ACBFF) (TSX: ACB), one of the most prominent companies in the marijuana industry, which allocated a total of $55 million through a strategic investment announced in mid-January. In a news release issued earlier today, TGOD announced that Aurora has exercised its full participation rights in the company’s IPO on a pro-rata basis, purchasing roughly 17.5 percent of the IPO issue for an additional investment of $23.1 million.

The latest investments are expected to be used to fund a 970,000 square foot expansion of TGOD’s production facilities in Ontario and Quebec. The newly expanded facilities will be capable of producing 116,000 kg of cannabis a year and are expected to come online in the fourth quarter of 2018 and second quarter of 2019, respectively. These investments and TGOD’s strategic partnership with Aurora will help drive the company’s expansion plans and goal of becoming the largest organic cannabis company in the world.

The company is differentiated by a number of unique characteristics that help promote sustainability and rapid growth in the sector. TGOD grows to scale, possesses complete logistical and infrastructural controls and boasts a world-class senior CPG management team. It has also partnered with the world’s second-largest power management company, Eaton Corp., and the second-largest construction management company, Ledcor Group.

By leveraging an organic, low-cost cannabis production process, TGOD has increased its margins. This is especially possible through its partnership with power management company Eaton Corporation (NYSE: ETN). Eaton’s part in the deal includes the provision of optimization and innovative research, providing TGOD with an opportunity to have some of the lowest electricity input costs in the field. Under its partnership with Ledcor, the construction management company will ensure an accelerated production schedule by using advanced multidisciplinary design/build processes and implementing scalable operational and project plans.

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

• MCOA’s hempSMART™ hemp-based CBD consumer products set to capitalize on burgeoning growth

A recent bipartisan bill that has been introduced to Congress, the ‘Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2017’ (http://ibn.fm/ZaajK), provides hope for the revival of the industrial hemp industry in the U.S. The new bill has gained traction in the House, attracting a total of 43 cosponsors. If passed, it would strike hemp from the definition of “marijuana” under the Controlled Substance Act. This would mean the revival of an industrial agricultural crop that has been repressed for almost 100 years. The Farm Bill of 2014 has made it possible for 38 U.S. states to pass industrial hemp-related legislation, which allows for the growth and research of the plant via a pilot program associated with a university.

The overwhelming demand for cannabidiol (CBD) products remains unabated, and there are still attractive opportunities in the sector.  Millions of people rely on non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD) for relief, and companies that produce and/or market hemp-derived CBD products, like Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTC: MCOA), are well positioned to garner not only increased traction in product sales but also amplified market action. Marijuana Company of America’s stable of hemp-based CBD consumer products are researched, developed and sold under the brand name hempSMART™.

To amplify action and secure market dominance, Marijuana Company of America recently announced that it has engaged Eddy Pham & Company (“EPCO”) to provide retail marketing and advertising services for MCOA’s hempSMART™ branded products (http://ibn.fm/nQIsx). Eddy Pham & Company is a direct-to-consumer full-service marketing company that will provide MCOA’s hempSMART product line with a fully integrated, multi-channel transactional marketing campaign focused on digital advertising, infographics, content marketing, customer incentives and acquisition, together with a broad social media presence, search engine marketing and optimization that includes comprehensive research and analytics. EPCO will also provide outsourced customer service and fulfillment services for hempSMART orders made through its campaign.

In a news release, EPCO CEO Eddy Pham stated, “In over two decades of product development and transactional marketing, I can say that hempSMART produces quality products that truly work. I personally have not been this excited in a long time to work on a product line that can truly bring relief to its users.”

MCOA CEO Donald Steinberg added, “MCOA is honored to have EPCO on as a marketing partner for our hempSMART product line. The impressive marketing strategy that EPCO will be implementing with our products will help secure hempSMART as one of the leading hemp-based cannabinoid companies in North America.”

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

• Green offers online signup for licensed dispensaries/merchants and patients/customers; it is a digital processing system that creates a cashless environment for cannabis transactions
• Green processing is an important feature for cannabis industry, as there is limited or no traditional banking support in the state-sanctioned medical marijuana market
• REFG offers first-tier processing and a gateway to comprehensive, virtual banking for buyer and seller

Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG) offers the online advantage of its proprietary Green processing system for both merchant signup and patient/customer transactions. The result is a virtual banking system, establishing a cash-free environment in state-legalized cannabis markets.

Dispensaries and retail merchants can sign up online for the Green program, which delivers a comprehensive end-to-end system for management of small businesses. Patients/customers can also sign up online to begin Green’s digital banking for direct access to their accounts without using cash. The advantage of Green in the cannabis market is the ease of sign up, simple use and safety of cashless buying and selling of medical marijuana (http://ibn.fm/EzgRI).

For licensed dispensaries and retail merchants, it includes a suite of services that might be expected from a first tier payment processor. Green can process payments in cryptocurrencies and offers digital processing of any payments from patients/customers. Green’s comprehensive system can handle all payments generated by small businesses, such as payroll and accounts payable. Green is a system that is compliant with the Federal Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

Green’s solutions are industry appealing. Tracking of all sales and tax collection for merchants and use of the system with existing point-of-sale systems are important advantages. To a larger business, REFG even offers secured armored cash pickups.

To both the dispensaries/merchants and patients/customers, Green solves the issues of cannabis transactions presented by a lack of traditional banking and the presence of federal regulations. Green can also issue a physical card to the client branded with the merchant’s name and logo to build loyalty and future purchases.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Take.green

• Unparalleled proprietary digital technology dramatically improves audio recordings without compromising original sound
• A massive market for enhancing audio enabled OEM devices
• Recent projects include Mastering the music for the hit TV show “Empire”
• World-class engineering and mastering portfolio includes biggest names in the music business
• Aftermaster team’s discography includes more hit records than any other audio technology company in the world
• State-of-the-art recording and mastering facilities located in the heart of Hollywood, California

Aftermaster, Inc. (OTCQB: AFTM), with offices in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Hollywood California, is an award-winning, leading-edge audio technology company that specializes in the development of proprietary and groundbreaking audio technologies and products. The company also operates world-class mastering and recording studios located in the heart of Hollywood, California, in the famous Crossroads of the World complex along Sunset Boulevard.

Aftermaster and its subsidiaries are engaged in the development and commercialization of proprietary (patents issued and pending), leading-edge audio and video technologies for professional and consumer use including the award-winning AfterMaster® audio technology, ProMaster™ and Aftermaster Pro™. Aftermaster is unique in the audio world because its team has produced, engineered and mastered more hit records than any audio company in the world. The Aftermaster team knows what sounds right and the Company holds a unique position in the world of audio technology.

The Company’s underlying technology, Aftermaster audio, delivers an audio experience unrivaled by any audio company. It brings an unprecedented new quality level to consumer audio by offering unparalleled clarity, depth, fullness and a significant volume increase to audio recordings without distortion or altering the original recording. Its versatility and smart processing characteristics make it effective across a broad range of applications from consumer electronics to industrial applications.

The Company also operates Aftermaster Recording and Mastering Studios which include the renovated production facilities of legendary director Alfred Hitchcock and the iconic recording studios of Crosby, Stills and Nash.

Aftermaster Labs maintains five primary business units: Aftermaster proprietary semiconductor chip and software for OEM licensing, proprietary consumer electronics, professional music mastering, online mastering, recording and mixing at its Aftermaster Recording and Master Studios, and Audio Consulting services. The Aftermaster semiconductor chip and software is used for embedding in consumer products, Aftermaster-developed and branded consumer and professional electronic products, ProMaster on-line music mastering for independent music artists and in-studio professional music mastering services.

Aftermaster has increasingly attracted interest from some of the music industry’s leading audio companies. A newly expanded partnership with TuneCore, the leading digital music distribution and publishing administration provider, gives TuneCore members access to Promaster through its instant mastering service which offers audio mastering of unparalleled quality at the click of a button. The Company also recently entered into a licensing agreement with Muzik headphones for use of its Aftermaster chip in their new headphone line.

The company’s first groundbreaking consumer product – the Aftermaster Pro – is designed to solve the universally widespread problem of poor, variable audio levels of television audio. Aftermaster Pro, which is smaller than an iPhone, masters and remasters inconsistent TV audio in real-time, creating an audio experience that offers clear, full-bodied depths of sound and most importantly, overall balanced audio. The Aftermaster Pro virtually eliminates the need to adjust TV volume to hear dialogue or to reduce the level of loud special effects. The Aftermaster Pro sells for $179 and is enjoying strong growth in sales to over 65 countries.

With the Company’s Promaster, state-of-the-art proprietary algorithms, artists receive four CD quality mastered versions of their track including “Powerful,” “Radio Ready,” “Bass Enhanced,” and “Vocal Enhanced.”  TuneCore artists have access to exclusive pricing on the Promaster pay-as-you-go instant mastering, as well as unlimited monthly and annual subscriptions. Aftermaster also holds a license agreement with headphone manufacturer, Muzik, Inc., for the use of Aftermaster’s patented audio remastering and audio enhancement technology.

Aftermaster won three Envisioneering Innovation and Design Awards at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas for both its Aftermaster TV device and its BelaSigna 300 processor semiconductor chip created through a partnership with ON Semiconductor. Aftermaster was also named an honoree for its ProMaster audio technology.

Aftermaster Audio Labs is led by a group of world-class audio engineers and music industry veterans who have been involved with the development and implementation of countless successful proprietary audio technologies and products.

The Team

Aftermaster co-founder and CEO Larry Ryckman is an award-winning entertainment and technology executive with over 25 years of achievements in the music and entertainment industries.

Shelly Yakus, co-founder and chief engineer at Aftermaster Audio Labs, is a renowned music producer, audio engineer/mixer and is widely considered the best engineer and mixer in the music industry.

Justin Timberlake, a Grammy and Emmy award-winning singer/songwriter/producer and actor, is a co-owner of Aftermaster Audio Labs, Inc. Timberlake is widely considered to be one of pop culture’s most influential entertainers in the world.

Peter Doell is one of the best-known mastering engineers in the world with over 35 years of experience mastering and engineering hundreds of chart-topping records, film scores and TV spots. Rodney Jerkins is an 8-time Grammy Award winning music producer/songwriter and considered to be one of the most influential and successful producers in the music industry.

Paul Wolff is a senior engineer and product development consultant at Aftermaster Audio Labs. Wolff has been involved in the professional music and audio industries as an audio engineer and product designer and manufacturer of professional audio products for more than 35 years.

Thousands of hours of testing millions of songs and audio sources of all types have been processed using Aftermaster’s award-winning technology and the results speak for themselves with platinum records, numerous strategic partnerships, and overwhelming industry support.

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

• Blink to install 41 enhanced EV charging stations at Bay Area McDonald’s restaurants
• Company’s nationwide network includes nearly 4,000 EV charging stations
• Recent entry into reseller agreement expected to play key role in expansion of network

Blink Charging Co. (NASDAQ: BLNK) (NASDAQ: BLNKW), a leading nationwide provider of public electric vehicle charging stations and services, has rapidly expanded its presence in key markets around the country in recent weeks. Over the course of the past month alone, the company has announced the installation of units at Aventura Mall in Aventura, Florida, and the City Hall of Dania Beach, Florida, as well as its entry into a reseller agreement with Tauriga Biz Dev. Corp. that is expected to help Blink “expand its already significant national electrical vehicle charging network.”

Building on this sustained progress, the company this morning announced plans to install and maintain 41 enhanced industry-leading electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at 16 Bay Area McDonald’s (NYSE: MCD) restaurants. These new units will replace legacy stations that have saved more than 8,000 gallons of fossil fuel since their installation in 2013.

“It is our job to be everywhere EV drivers are so that they never have to worry about how to fuel their cars,” Michael D. Farkas, founder and executive chairman of Blink Charging, stated in the news release. “We’ve refitted several Bay Area McDonald’s with the best technology in the industry so local drivers can charge while enjoying a meal at their favorite restaurant.”

The Blink Network currently includes nearly 4,000 EV charging stations across the United States, including upward of 1,100 in California. Charging stations in the national Blink Network can be located and managed by Blink members with no annual fee through the use of the Blink mobile app.

Founded in 2009, Blink Charging Co. is headquartered in Florida with offices in Arizona and California. Through numerous strategic partnership with airports, schools, restaurants and other establishments, the company aims to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles.

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

• SerpentCoin is being built utilizing “Cardano,” the most advanced third generation public blockchain and cryptocurrency technology designed to support smart contracts and cryptocurrencies
• Development of SerpentCoin includes long-term core value, with 1.5 percent of every transaction deposited back into the platform’s Temple, or “treasury”
• SerpentCoin holders, known as Guardians, can vote on how the coin’s treasury funds are invested into specified health care projects and technologies slated to benefit humanity
• Guardians also receive a 0.5 percent bonus in token rewards on every transaction

Uneeqo Inc. (OTC: UNEQ) is a Nevada corporation that recently incorporated and registered a new subsidiary, Serpentcoin Limited (“SCL”), in the United Kingdom. Through this subsidiary, Uneeqo has a new focus – a peer-to-peer digital token called “SerpentCoin” built upon a distributed, decentralized public ledger that is viewable and easily audited by transacting parties through unbreakable, encrypted smart contracts.

Serpentcoin’s IT team has chosen Cardano, a technologically advanced blockchain platform developed from a scientific philosophy by a global team of leading academics and engineers, as the backbone of its technology. SerpentCoin has been designed to embrace a revolution still finding its feet in the world marketplace. Unique to SerpentCoin is the “Medusa App,” a multi-token wallet being engineered to be a major game changer, since it eliminates digital clutter and brings convenience, security and no added transaction fees to the user.

Medusa, which is expected to be available for download and released for free on both Android and iOS, will enable users to spend their SerpentCoin and other blockchain assets through their smartphones. Setting up an account on Medusa is simple, with a multi-token wallet created automatically and its private key secured by the platform’s blockchain technology.

Tokens do not need to be converted to fiat money until an actual transaction happens, which means conversion is conducted in real-time. Importantly, the user can choose between different blockchain assets as a source of payment within the app and can conveniently exchange those assets, such as bitcoin, Ether, SerpentCoin and many more, through the Medusa wallet. Users also earn a 0.5 percent reward for every purchase made, with the incentive transferred to the user’s wallet in the form of PAY tokens that gives users a potential value upside of the tokens.

Leading the company is Dr. Abel Haque, a business development professional with extensive experience in international business in the medical, technology and automotive sectors, as well as a leading consultant in regenerative medicine and cell therapy. SerpentCoin’s catch phrase – “Guardians of a monetary rebirth” – accurately describes the company’s “one team” attitude that engages its investors and those interested in a collaborative energy dedicated to creating repeatable results.

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

• First Cobalt is concentrating on building a North American portfolio of assets that are highly leveraged to the fast-growing EV market for cobalt, used in lithium-ion batteries
• First Cobalt’s acquisition of US Cobalt provides a potential feedstock for cobalt ore for processing at the First Cobalt Refinery, the only permitted cobalt extraction refinery in North America that can produce battery grade material
• The First Cobalt Refinery is a strategic asset fully permitted to process North American feedstock

An exploration stage corporation, First Cobalt Corp. (TSX.V: FCC) (OTCQB: FTSSF) is working to build the largest global pure-play cobalt exploration and development company, with its North American portfolio of assets that are highly leveraged to the rapidly growing cobalt market being pushed by rising interest in electric vehicles. Established in early 2017, First Cobalt’s primary emphasis is on its Greater Cobalt Project located about 500 km north of Toronto, Ontario.

Cobalt is used in components for lithium-ion batteries, and the growing demand for electric vehicle power is fueling the market for the mineral, according to Transparency Market Research via MarketInsider (http://ibn.fm/qzacP). Over the next decade, global demand for cobalt is projected to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 11.6 percent, according to Forbes (http://ibn.fm/flwFo). The Greater Cobalt Project consists of 10,000 hectares of prospective land, including more than 50 past producing mines. While not the only North American explorer focused on cobalt, First Cobalt is the largest. Its assets also include a mill and the only permitted cobalt extraction refinery in North America that can produce battery grade material.

The company is initiating a study of the First Cobalt Refinery in the Canadian Cobalt Camp. It’s a hydrometallurgical cobalt-silver-nickel refinery commissioned in 1996 and situated roughly five kilometers east of Cobalt, Ontario. First Cobalt is not currently producing at the refinery, although the facility ran as recently as three years ago.

The primary motivation of the study’s timing is First Cobalt’s recently announced friendly merger with US Cobalt and its primary asset, which is the Iron Creek cobalt project in Idaho. With US Cobalt anticipating a Mineral Resource Estimate in 2018, the Iron Creek asset could be in production in as few as three years and could provide feedstock to the refinery. The refinery could then produce cobalt sulphate for the North American battery market. This combination of resource and unique refining capabilities represents a huge opportunity for First Cobalt, positioning the refinery as a key focus for the company.

The intention of the study is to help First Cobalt estimate the capital needs for the future restart of the refinery. It will also estimate the increase in throughput of an expanded facility within the present building footprint. In addition, operating cost estimates will be provided for both scenarios.

In a news release, Trent Mell, president and CEO of First Cobalt, said, “As we move forward with [the] proposed acquisition of US Cobalt and ongoing studies of early cash flow opportunities in the Cobalt Camp from historic muckpile material, this Refinery study will drive us closer to our goal of being a vertically integrated North American cobalt company.”

Underpinning all of this is the fact that a substantial portion of the world’s cobalt sourcing has major challenges. This sourcing now depends on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where child labor is common. First Cobalt offers a significant ethical advantage because it is developing cobalt sources in Canada. Moreover, the company has the potential of greatly assisting in the renaissance of the nearby community of Cobalt, Ontario.

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