Arizona Tribune - Aclara Wins Un Global Compact Award for Innovation in Circular Water Management

Recognition highlights Aclara's industry-leading commitment to sustainability and innovative water practices aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals

Aclara Resources Inc. ("Aclara" or the "Company") (TSX:ARA) is proud to announce that it has been recognized by the United Nations ("UN") Global Compact Chile Network for its groundbreaking Circular Mineral Harvesting process. The Company's contribution to advancing the Sustainable Development Goal ("SDG") 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, was honored during the CONECTA 2024 Business Awards in Santiago, Chile, on December 10, 2024, in which it received the third place in the Interconnection category.

The award celebrates the innovative attributes of Aclara's patented Circular Mineral Harvesting process, implemented at the Penco project. This production process allows the sustainable extraction of rare earth elements in a closed-circuit system, using 100% recycled water, eliminating reliance on natural water sources, and achieving a 95% water recirculation rate. Among 166 submissions from 61 companies across diverse industries, Aclara's initiative stood out for its transformative approach to resource management, as evaluated by a distinguished jury of 48 experts.

The United Nations Global Compact is a non-binding United Nations pact to get businesses and firms worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies, and to report on their implementation. The UN Global Compact is the world's largest corporate sustainability and corporate social responsibility initiative, with more than 20,000 corporate participants and other stakeholders in over 167 countries.

Ramón Barúa, Aclara's Chief Executive Officer, commented:
"At Aclara we are fully committed to sustainable water usage and sourcing, and this recognition highlights the significance of our efforts. Our patented process, which eliminates the use of natural water sources and recirculates nearly all the water used, sets a new benchmark for sustainability in the rare earths sector. This honor, conferred by the United Nations through Pacto Global Chile, is especially meaningful as it was conceptualized from a collaborative dialogue with the Penco community, who share our dedication to preserving vital resources such as water."

Margarita Ducci, Executive Director of Global Compact Chile, commented:
"Recognizing initiatives such as Aclara's Circular Harvest of Minerals is an example of the transformative impact that companies can generate when they align their innovation with the SDGs. This process, unique in the world and developed in Chile, represents a crucial advance in the circular economy, enabling the sustainable production of rare earths, essential for electromobility and clean energy.

Its model stands out not only for its efficiency in the use of resources such as water and fertilizer recycling, but also for its commitment to biodiversity and local development, through its collaboration with communities and universities. We applaud this example of leadership and congratulate Aclara for integrating sustainability into the heart of its business strategy, showing that it is possible to innovate, protect the environment and contribute to economic development simultaneously."

This recognition adds to Aclara's growing list of awards, including: (1) an honor in the Foreign Direct Investment category at the Melhores dos Negócios Internacionais 2024 Awards, which celebrate organizations that significantly enhance Brazil's global standing in areas such as exports, sustainable development, and foreign investment (organized by ApexBrasil, Exame, the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce, and Services and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs); (2) two honors for Innovation and Environmental Sustainability at the 2024 Global Data Mining Technology Excellence Awards; (3) recipient of the Sustainable Innovation Award at the 2023 Business Sustainability Awards presented by the SEAL Awards; and (4) designation as the Sustainable Initiative of the Year at the 2022 Business Intelligence Group Sustainability Awards.

About Aclara
Aclara Resources Inc. (TSX:ARA) is a development-stage company that focuses on heavy rare earth mineral resources hosted in Ion-Adsorption Clay deposits. The Company's rare earth mineral resource development projects include the Penco Module in the Bio-Bio Region of Chile and the Carina Module in the State of Goiás, Brazil.

Aclara's rare earth extraction process offers several environmentally attractive features. Circular mineral harvesting does not involve blasting, crushing, or milling, and therefore does not generate tailings and eliminates the need for a tailings storage facility. The extraction process developed by Aclara minimizes water consumption through high levels of water recirculation made possible by the inclusion of a water treatment facility within its patented process design. The ionic clay feedstock is amenable to leaching with a common fertilizer main reagent, ammonium sulfate. In addition to the development of the Penco Module and the Carina Module, the Company will continue to identify and evaluate opportunities to increase future production of heavy rare earths through greenfield exploration programs and the development of additional projects within the Company's current concessions in Brazil, Chile, and Peru.

Aclara has decided to vertically integrate its rare earths concentrate production towards the manufacturing of rare earths alloys. The Company has established a U.S.-based subsidiary, Aclara Technologies Inc., which will focus on developing technologies for rare earth separation, metals, and alloys. Additionally, the Company is advancing its metals and alloys business through a joint venture with CAP S.A., leveraging CAP's extensive expertise in metal refining and special ferro-alloyed steels.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which reflects the Company's current expectations regarding future events, including statements with regard to the Company's water management strategy; expectations as to the production process feasibility, which performs sustainable extraction of rare earth elements in a closed-circuit system, using 100% recycled water, eliminating reliance on natural water sources, and achieving a 95% water recirculation rate. Forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the factors discussed under "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated as of March 22, 2024 filed on the Company's SEDAR profile. Actual results and timing could differ materially from those projected herein. Unless otherwise noted or the context otherwise indicates, the forward-looking information contained in this news release is provided as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required under applicable securities laws

For further information, please contact:
Ramón Barúa Costa
Chief Executive Officer
[email protected]

SOURCE: Aclara Resources Inc.

D.Johnson--AT