Aclara Appoints General Manager for Brazil

TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / August 14, 2023 / Aclara Resources Inc. ("Aclara" or the "Company") (TSX:ARA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Bonzi Yokomizo as General Manager of the wholly owned Brazilian subsidiary ("Aclara Resources Mineracao Ltda"), effective Aug 10, 2023

"We are delighted to welcome Bonzi Yokomizo as our new General Manager for Brazil," said Ramón Barúa, CEO and Director of Aclara. " With over 30 years leading global mining projects, Bonzi's expertise is a cornerstone for Aclara. His exceptional understanding of Greenfield and Brownfield projects, coupled with his recent achievement in commissioning Brazil's inaugural ionic clay heavy rare earths mine, will play a pivotal role in driving the success of Aclara's projects in Brazil. Bonzi's remarkable skill in building and leading diverse teams, combined with his extensive in-country experience, brings a dynamic synergy that fosters innovation, drives operational excellence and ensures a robust foundation for Aclara´s strategic growth in Brazil and beyond."

Mr. Yokomizo joins Aclara with a long history leading large-scale mining projects across the globe, including the Americas (Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Canada), Africa (Mozambique and Malawi), and the UK. His most recent role was Chief Projects Officer at Serra Verde, an ionic clays heavy rare earths mining project located in the State of Goias, Brazil, where he was instrumental in driving engineering for the project implementation, construction, and commissioning.

Prior to his tenure at Serra Verde, Bonzi held senior leadership positions at various world-class mining companies such as Anglo Gold Ashanti, Yamana Gold, Vale, and Votorantim. Notably, he has demonstrated prowess in overseeing complex projects, such as the Jack Pine oil sands project expansion with an estimated capex of $12.5 billion, Rio Colorado potash project with an estimated capex of $9.0 billion, Coal project with an estimated capex of $5.0 billion, and the Montes Claros de Goias Nickel project with an estimated capex of $1.5 billion, among others.

Mr. Yokomizo has consistently demonstrated the ability to lead multidisciplinary teams, navigate complex challenges, and deliver projects on time and within budget. His strategic vision, combined with a hands-on approach, has positioned him as a respected leader in the mining industry.

As the Company continues to expand its operations and pursue new avenues of growth, Mr. Yokomizos's appointment signifies a strategic move to further enhance the company's project management capabilities to become a strategic leader in the heavy rare earths sector.

About Aclara
Aclara Resources Inc. (TSX:ARA) is a development-stage company that focuses on heavy rare earth mineral resources. Its primary project is located in the BioBio Region of southern Chile. The company is dedicated to developing its mineral resources through a project known as the Penco Module. This module encompasses an area of approximately 600 hectares and contains ionic clays that are rich in heavy rare earth elements.

Currently, Aclara Resources is primarily focused on the development, construction, and future operation of the Penco Module. The goal is to establish a processing plant that will produce a heavy rare earth concentrate. This concentrate will be generated by processing clays obtained from nearby deposits.

Aclara's extraction process offers several environmentally attractive features. It does not involve blasting, crushing, or milling. Additionally, it does not generate tailings, eliminating the need for a tailings storage facility. The company utilizes 100% recycled water and minimizes water consumption through high levels of water recirculation. The ionic clay feedstock is amenable to leaching with a fertilizer, and harmful radionuclides are not produced. 3

Simultaneously, alongside the development of the Penco Module, the company intends to identify further opportunities for increasing rare earth element production. This will involve intensive greenfield exploration programs and the development of additional project "modules" within the company's concessions.

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, among other things, management's expectations as to the accretive value to the Company from the appointment of Mr. Yokomizo as General Manager for Brazil. 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 28, 2023 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:
Ramon Barúa
Chief Executive Officer
investorrelations@aclara-re.com

SOURCE: Aclara Resources Inc.