Aclara Joins the United Nations Global Compact

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 3, 2024 / Aclara Resources Inc. ("Aclara" or the "Company") (TSX:ARA) is pleased to announce that the Company has joined the United Nations Global Compact, the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative, encompassing a 10-principle-framework guiding responsible businesses around areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption, and links these actions to the objectives of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

• United Nations Global Compact is the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative, with over 24,000 companies participating in 160 countries.
• Aclara commits to incorporating the principles of the Global Compact into the Company's strategy, culture, and operations, and to participating in collaborative projects that promote the United Nations' sustainable development goals.

"At Aclara, we believe that sustainable development is the path to the future. Our work ethic, along with the innovation we apply to promote a greener world, and the close collaboration with our communities reflect this commitment. We are a driving force for global decarbonization for building a better world. Today, we join the United Nations Global Compact to accelerate the pace towards sustainable development together," said Ramón Barúa, CEO of Aclara.

Aclara aims to be the cornerstone of a green revolution. Building a sustainable value chain that results in clean and traceable extraction of rare earth minerals, is a vital step for the development of electromobility and clean technologies aimed at decarbonizing the planet. The Company's patented "Circular Mineral Harvesting" process, pursuant to which heavy rare earths are extracted in a sustainable manner, prioritizes environmental responsibility and transparency. This closed-loop system offers several key environmental benefits:

• No explosives: Simple extraction requires only loading and hauling of the ionic clays.
• Low Carbon Footprint: No crushing or milling results in minimal energy usage.
• Eliminating Waste: No generation of any solid or liquid residues avoids the need for a tailings dam.
• Circular Economy Principles: Recirculation of up to 95% of the water used and 99% of a common fertilizer main reagent.
• Land Reclamation: Aclara proposes a sequential closure and a commitment to fully revegetate all the extraction zones at its projects.

Aclara's commitment to environmental responsibility extends beyond the process itself. The Penco Module will use 100% recycled water, eliminating the need to tap into natural water sources. Furthermore, Aclara is committed to reforesting over 200 hectares at the Penco Module by planting native species and to promote conservation efforts. These practices ensure Aclara's DyTb production remains traceable and environmentally responsible, offering a reliable alternative to China's dominant rare earth supply chain.

In recent years, Aclara has been internationally recognized for its innovations and attributes, in line with the principles of the Global Compact, including recognition by the Business Intelligence Group as a Sustainable Initiative in the 2022 Sustainability Awards and further ranked as among the 50 most sustainable companies in the world at the 2023 SEAL Awards.

The UN Global Compact Commitments and Reporting

Launched in 2000, the UN Global Compact is a multi-stakeholder platform for the development, implementation, and disclosure of responsible business practices. Companies that join commit to integrating the UN's Ten Principles on human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption into their operations. Beyond this, the Global Compact aligns businesses with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, creating a shared roadmap for a sustainable future. Participation signifies a commitment to both sustainability and transparency, requiring annual reporting on progress towards these goals.

About Aclara

Aclara Resources Inc. (TSX:ARA) is a development-stage company that is focused 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. Furthermore, harmful levels of radionuclides, typical of hard rock rare earth deposits, are not concentrated within Aclara's processing flowsheet.

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 concessions in Brazil, Chile, and Peru.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which reflects the Company's current expectations regarding future events, including, without limitation, statements with regard to management's commitment to continuing to build and develop an environmentally sustainable supply chain and anticipated outcomes resulting therefrom. 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 risks related to operating in a foreign jurisdiction, including political and economic problems in Chile and Brazil; risks related to changes to mining laws and regulations and the termination or non-renewal of mining rights by governmental authorities; risks related to failure to comply with the law or obtain necessary permits and licenses or renew them; compliance with environmental regulations can be costly; actual production, capital and operating costs may be different than those anticipated; that the Company may be not able to successfully complete the development, construction and start-up of mines and new development projects; risks related to mining operations; and dependence on the Penco Module and/or the Carina Module. Aclara cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. For a detailed discussion of the foregoing factors, among others, please refer to the risk factors discussed under "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated as of March 22, 2024, filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon information and assumptions that management of the Company believes to be reasonable and complete as of the date of this press release, these statements are by their nature subject to a number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from management's expectations and anticipated outcomes as specified in such forward-looking statements. As such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information contained in this press release. Unless otherwise noted or the context otherwise indicates, the forward-looking information contained in this press release is provided as of the date of this press 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:

Ramon Barua
Chief Executive Officer
investorrelations@aclara-re.com

SOURCE: Aclara Resources Inc.