High Grade AquaRefined Lead Now in Production

ALAMEDA, Calif., June 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aqua Metals, Inc. (NASDAQ:AQMS), (“Aqua Metals” or the “Company”), has begun commercialization of its proprietary electrochemical lead recycling technology called AquaRefining™ with the production of pure AquaRefined lead.

Aqua Metals expects continued production of AquaRefined lead as it continues to ramp up operations in our McCarran facility.

On June 7, 2018 Aqua Metals cast its first block of AquaRefined lead meeting the soft lead grade set forth in the international standard BS EN 12659:1999, to the equivalent of 99.985% grade. The Company expects to increase purity to the 99.994% grade, in excess of the standard requirements, in the coming weeks as production continues.     

“Producing lead that meets the high-quality standards for soft lead on the London Metals Exchange is a great milestone and fulfills one of the core promises of AquaRefining – producing high purity lead with little refining,” said Steve Cotton, President of Aqua Metals. “Our process essentially builds lead molecule by molecule during the recovery process, which is why you get such high purity in one step. In verifying the value of AquaRefining to our partners and future licensees, we have met a key milestone and are confident that we have delivered on technology capable of producing what we believe will be the highest quality lead on the market.

Below, please find a link to a video of the refining process:

• https://youtu.be/ZBHbKj_Loq0

About Aqua Metals
Aqua Metals, Inc. (NASDAQ:AQMS) is reinventing lead recycling with its patented and patent-pending AquaRefining^TM technology. Unlike smelting, AquaRefining is a room temperature, water-based process that is fundamentally non-polluting. These modular systems allow the Company to vastly reduce environmental impact and scale lead acid battery recycling production capacity. This meets growing demand for lead to power new applications including stop/start automobile batteries which complement the vehicle’s main battery, Internet data centers, alternative energy applications including solar, wind, and grid scale storage. Aqua Metals is based in Alameda, California, and has built its first recycling facility in Nevada’s Tahoe Reno Industrial Complex. To learn more, please visit www.aquametals.com.

Safe Harbor
This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning Aqua Metals. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to our plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that contain words such as “expects,” “contemplates,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes” and variations of such words or similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends, or that do not relate to historical matters.  The forward looking statements in this release include the Company’s development of its commercial lead acid battery recycling facilities, the quality and efficiency of the Company’s proposed lead acid battery recycling operations and the Company’s ability to produce AquaRefined lead with a high degree of purity.  Those forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially. Among those factors are: (1) the risk that the Company may not be able to produce and market AquaRefined lead on a commercial basis or, if the Company achieves commercial operations, that such operations will be profitable, (2) the fact that the Company only recently commenced production and has not generated any significant revenue to date, thus subjecting the Company to all of the risks inherent in a pre-revenue start-up; (3) the risk that the Company may not be able to realize the expected benefits from its strategic partnerships, (4) the risk that the Company may be unable to obtain non-dilutive forms of financing, (5) risks related to Aqua Metals’ ability to raise sufficient capital, in any form, as and when needed, to develop and operate its recycling facilities and fund continuing losses from operations as the Company endeavors to achieve profitability; (6) changes in the federal, state and foreign laws regulating the recycling of lead acid batteries; (7) the Company’s ability to protect its proprietary technology, trade secrets and know-how and (8) those other risks disclosed in the section “Risk Factors” included in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed on May 9, 2018. Aqua Metals cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to update or revise such statements to reflect new circumstances or unanticipated events as they occur, except as required by law.

Investor Relations:
MZ North America
Greg Falesnik
Managing Director
Main: 949-385-6449
greg.falesnik@mzgroup.us
www.mzgroup.us

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1d7747f3-4799-4a85-b277-6ea70e866292

Released June 11, 2018