Aqua Metals Secures First Patent for AquaRefining Equipment and Processes

Technology passes rigorous examination of novelty, utility and prior art

ALAMEDA, Calif., June 01, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aqua Metals, Inc. (NASDAQ:AQMS), (“Aqua Metals” or the “Company”), which is commercializing a non-polluting electrochemical lead recycling technology called AquaRefining™, has secured its first patent; Korea Patent No. 10-1739414, “Devices and Method for Smelterless Recycling of Lead Acid Batteries.”

The Company made a strategic decision to choose the Korea Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) as the examining authority because of its well-known rigorous examination process. To that end, Australia, China and other key Asian territories tend to follow KIPO’s lead. Korea is also one of the world’s largest lead producers with a metals industry that uses large scale hydro-metallurgical processes.

“While our initial patent provides us with protection in Korea only, we believe this first patent sets a strong precedent that our technology is novel, of utility and an advancement over the prior art,” said Dr. Stephen Clarke, chairman and CEO of Aqua Metals. “We anticipate this will be the first of many patents to be issued in the coming months. More importantly, this is a landmark moment for our team – our technology has passed muster in one of the toughest patent jurisdictions in the world, which paves the way for success elsewhere. We are extremely proud of this achievement, and believe it validates the hard work and progress our team has put forth.”

The Company is pursuing a comprehensive and rigorous IP Strategy with more than 20 planned filings organized into several “families” covering “matter”, “devices” and “processes” in up to 20 territories.

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 recycling production capacity both by building its own AquaRefineries and licensing the AquaRefining technology to partners. 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, Inc., the strength and efficacy of its portfolio of patent applications and issued patent, 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 risk no further patents will be issued on our patent applications or any other application that we may file in the future or that, if such patents are issued, they will be sufficiently broad to adequately protect our technology, (2) the risk that our initial patent and any other patents that may be issued to us may be challenged, invalidated, or circumvented, (3) the risk that our initial patent and other any patents that may be issued to us may be may not stop a competitor from illegally using our patented processes and materials, (4) the fact that the Company only recently commenced revenue producing operations, thus subjecting the Company to all of the risks inherent in a pre-revenue start-up; (5) risks related to Aqua Metals’ ability to raise sufficient capital, as and when needed, to develop and operate its recycling facilities; (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 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 2, 2017. 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.

Aqua Metals Media Relations:
Antenna
Kimberly Setliff
Senior Vice President
415-977-1942
aquametals@antennagroup.com

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

Released June 1, 2017