NEW YORK, July 31, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Piedmont Lithium Limited (“Piedmont” or “Company”) is pleased to announce the appointment of Jeff Armstrong to the Board of Directors as an Independent Non-Executive Director, effective from today. Following Mr. Armstrong’s appointment, Mark Pearce will step down from his Non-Executive Director position, also effective today.  

Mr. Armstrong resides in Charlotte, North Carolina where he is actively engaged in the community and has extensive relationships with major corporations and entrepreneurs alike.  He serves as CEO and Managing Partner of North Inlet Advisors, LLC, a firm providing strategic and financial advice to companies on capital formation, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, restructurings, and other corporate transactions. 

Mr. Armstrong was previously a senior leader in what is now Wells Fargo’s Investment Bank for nearly a decade, where his leadership roles included the Head of Corporate Finance, Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity Coverage and Leveraged Capital groups. Mr. Armstrong also worked as an investment banker for Citigroup from 1994 to 1999, and for Morgan Stanley from 1987 to 1994.

Mr. Armstrong graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.S. in finance and marketing from the McIntire School of Commerce and an MBA from the Darden School of Business.

Keith D. Phillips, President and Chief Executive Officer, said: “Jeff is an outstanding addition to our Board and will add valuable experience and extend our relationships in North Carolina. We are pleased to have another U.S.-based independent director, and I look forward to working closely with him. In addition, on behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Mark for his substantial contribution in progressing Piedmont into a dual-listed U.S. lithium development company with plans to provide a new U.S. domestic source of lithium to supply the increasing electric vehicle and battery storage markets.”

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About Piedmont Lithium

Piedmont Lithium Limited (ASX: PLL; OTC-Nasdaq Intl: PLLLY) holds a 100% interest in the Piedmont Lithium Project (“Project”) located within the world-class Carolina Tin-Spodumene Belt (“TSB”) and along trend to the Hallman Beam and Kings Mountain mines, historically providing most of the western world’s lithium between the 1950s and the 1990s. The TSB has been described as one of the largest lithium provinces in the world and is located approximately 25 miles west of Charlotte, North Carolina. It is a premier location to be developing and integrated lithium business based on its favourable geology, proven metallurgy and easy access to infrastructure, power, R&D centres for lithium and battery storage, major high-tech population centres and downstream lithium processing facilities.

The Project was originally explored by Lithium Corporation of America which eventually was acquired by FMC Corporation (“FMC”). FMC and Albemarle Corporation (“Albemarle”) both historically mined the lithium bearing spodumene pegmatites within the TSB and developed and continue to operate the two world-class lithium processing facilities in the region which were the first modern spodumene processing facilities in the western world. The Company is in a unique position to leverage its position as a first mover in restarting exploration in this historic lithium producing region with the aim of developing a strategic, U.S. domestic source of lithium to supply the increasing electric vehicle and battery storage markets.

Piedmont, through its 100% owned U.S. subsidiary, Piedmont Lithium Inc., has entered into exclusive option agreements and land acquisition agreements with local landowners, which upon exercise, allow the Company to purchase (or in some cases long-term lease) approximately 1,199 acres of surface property and the associated mineral rights.