Aqua Metals Expands Management Team With Key Hires

Company Hires Special Projects Manager, Corporate Controller

ALAMEDA, Calif., Nov. 17, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aqua Metals, Inc. (NASDAQ:AQMS) ("Aqua Metals" or the "Company"), a company developing a non-polluting electrochemical lead recycling technology called AquaRefining™, today announced new key hires to its management team to scale the company's manufacturing and financial capabilities and accelerate company growth.

Alex Laleh joined Aqua Metals as special projects manager. Laleh's primary responsibility is setting up the AquaRefining module production line in the company's Alameda headquarters. Production is slated to begin in December. Laleh joined Aqua Metals from Siemens, where he was responsible for oversight of production planning and production configuration management. He holds a BSME from Tehran Polytechnic, an MSEE from San Jose State and an MBA from Cornell University.

"I joined Aqua Metals primarily because of the opportunity to be an integral part of creating a world class manufacturing operation that transforms and modernizes an important industry," Laleh said. "I believe in this work. Aqua Metals reinvents lead recycling, dramatically improving its impact on the environment and human health."

Thomas Akright joined the company in October as corporate controller. Akright is responsible for building the company's financial systems, internal controls, performance metrics and reporting capabilities. Akright has a strong background in both finance administration and operations, which makes him uniquely qualified to help the company scale its financial tools for manufacturing and recycling operations. Akright has a BSEE from Michigan State University and an MBA in accounting and finance from Ashford University.

"Aqua Metals is expanding quickly and our team is building out the robust financial infrastructure to enable continued growth," Akright said. "It's one of my top priorities to optimize our manufacturing and lead recycling operations in my new role."

About Aqua Metals, Inc.

Aqua Metals, Inc. (AQMS) has developed AquaRefining™, a modular electrochemical process that produces ultra-pure lead from used lead-acid batteries in an efficient and socially responsible manner. Unlike lead smelting (the current method of recycling lead-acid batteries), AquaRefining produces almost no emissions. AquaRefining also consumes much less total energy and is more cost effective than lead smelting. Aqua Metals has offices in Alameda, California and is in the process of building its initial commercial lead production AquaRefining facility in the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center in Nevada. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.aquametals.com.

Safe Harbor

This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning Aqua Metals, Inc., the lead acid battery recycling industry, the future of lead acid battery recycling via traditional smelters, the Company's development of its commercial lead acid battery recycling facilities and the quality, efficiency and profitability of the Company's proposed lead acid battery recycling operations. 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 fact that Company has not yet commenced revenue producing operations or developed its initial commercial recycling facility, thus subjecting the Company to all of the risks inherent in a pre-revenue start-up; (2) risks related to Aqua Metals' ability to raise sufficient capital, as and when needed, to develop and operate its recycling facilities; (3) changes in the federal, state and foreign laws regulating the recycling of lead acid batteries; (4) the Company's ability to protect its proprietary technology, trade secrets and know-how and (5) those other risks disclosed in the section "Risk Factors" included in the final prospectus relating to the Company's IPO filed with the SEC on July 31, 2015. 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.

CONTACT: Aqua Metals Media Contact:
         Antenna for Aqua Metals
         Sarah Mier
         415-977-1947
         aquametals@antennagroup.com

Released November 17, 2015