Sayona Mining an Emerging Lithium Leader in North America 

Sayona Mining, SYA, SYAXF, Company Profile, Stock Summary 

Sayona is a successful mining company based in Australia with a great history of successfully discovering and developing mines in Australia, the company has been publicly trading on the Australian Stock Exchange for nearly 20 years.  

North American Operations 

The unprecedented financial incentives offered by the American Government was a no brainer for the company’s management to find a beachhead in North America.  

The company has acquired 3 mines in one of the most prolific Lithium Rich regions of Quebec. The company’s success in Quebec speaks for itself! 

Sayona Mining became one of the very few companies to produce Lithium in North America! 

12,000 Tons of Commercial Grade Lithium Ready to Shipped, learn more

See the press release announcing the historic achievement. Click here > 

North American Lithium 

Project Overview 

Sayona’s flagship, the North American Lithium (NAL) operation was acquired by Sayona Québec in August 2021, in partnership with Piedmont Lithium Inc (Sayona 75%; Piedmont 25%). 

Forming the key part of Sayona’s Abitibi hub along with the nearby Authier Lithium Project, the restored NAL operation together with the Company’s emerging northern hub, now comprises North America’s largest lithium (spodumene) resource base. 

NAL comprises 19 contiguous claims covering 582.31 and one mining lease, covering approximately 700 ha. It is situated in La Corne township in Québec’s Abitibi-Témiscamingue region. The project lies 60km north of the city of Val d’Or, a major mining service center, and in proximity to Sayona’s Authier Lithium Project (Authier). 

NAL is a brownfield open pit mining operation with a concentrator, with more than C$400 million having been invested in the operation by previous owners, including a carbonate plant. The existing plant has a nameplate capacity to produce up to 220kt of spodumene concentrate or 30kt LCE per year. 

Sayona plans to combine ore produced from Authier with ore produced at NAL to facilitate a significant improvement in plant performance and economics and transform both operations. 

Importantly, nearly all of NAL’s power is from clean and green hydroelectricity, while it is well serviced by provincial highways and an all-weather secondary road. 

Management & Board 

Mr Brett Lynch 

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer 

Appointed on 1 July 2019, Brett is a highly experienced international company director and chief executive, with a strong background in mining and mining-related businesses across Australia, Asia and North America and a proven track record in advancing shareholder value. 

A senior mining engineer and manager, he has more than 30 years’ experience in the global industry, including previous posts with leading resources companies such as MIM Holdings, New Hope Corporation, Orica and VLI, during which time he was responsible for multi-million-dollar international operations. 

Brett’s professional qualifications include a Bachelor of Engineering (Mining) (Honours) at the University of Melbourne, a Graduate Diploma of Business (Accounting) at Monash University and a Company Director Diploma from the Australian Institute of Company Directors. 

Mr James Brown 

Non-Executive Director 

James holds formal qualifications in mining engineering with more than 40 years’ experience in the mining industry in Australia, the United States, Africa and Indonesia, including 14 years as Managing Director of ASX-listed Morella Corporation Limited. 

He has successfully sourced, developed and operated numerous key global projects with a focus on lithium and battery minerals. He has an extensive global investment network to underpin the capital requirements for project investment and development. 

He was appointed to the Board on 12 August 2013. He also serves as a Director of Greenwing Resources Limited. 

Mr Paul Crawford 

Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer 

Paul is an accountant with over 40 years of commercial experience in various technical and management roles within the minerals, coal and petroleum industries. He has also had significant corporate experience in the management and governance of ASX-listed resource and mining companies. 

He is the principal of a corporate consultancy firm he established in 2001, offering a range of commercial and corporate governance services to corporate clients. Paul was appointed to the Board on 10 March 2000. 

Mr Allan Buckler 

Non-Executive Director 

A qualified mine manager with more than 40 years coal experience in Australia and Indonesia, Alan joined Sayona’s Board on 5 August 2013. 

He has had key roles in the establishment of several large mining and port operations in both Australia and Indonesia. 

Allan is a former Director and Chief Operations Officer of New Hope Corporation Limited and has led the development of significant operations including PT Adaro Indonesia, PT Indonesia Bulk Terminal and PT Mult Harapan Utama in Indonesia. 

He also serves as a Director of Morella Corporation Limited (previously Altura Mining Limited) and Interra Resources Limited. 

Québec Leadership 

Mr Guy Belleau 

Chief Executive Officer, Sayona Québec 

With more than 30 years’ experience in the mining industry, Guy is an exceptional senior mining executive who has held strategic positions in the largest mining companies in Québec and Canada. 

During his career, he has served as Chief Operating Officer for ArcelorMittal Mines Canada, General Manager of Mining for Falco Resources, and General Manager of Mining for Goldcorp's Eleonore mine. 

An engineer by training, Guy has also chaired the board of directors of the National Institute of Mining since 2018. 

Guy manages Sayona's activities in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, including North American Lithium, the Authier and Tansim projects. 

He has been appointed CEO of Sayona's Québec subsidiary effective 1 January 2023. 

Mr Guy Laliberté 

Strategic Advisor to Sayona Managing Director 

Heading Sayona’s activities in Québec from 2019-22, Guy has more than 35 years’ experience in major mining and metallurgical projects. 

During his career, he has contributed directly to the realization of major mining projects in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Baffin Island, with companies such as SNC-Lavalin, African Minerals and Baffinland Iron Mines. 

A graduate of ETS in Construction Engineering and Management, he uses his leadership to guide Sayona's teams in the realisation and execution of the company's strategy in Québec. 

Guy has been appointed strategic advisor to Sayona's Managing Director, Brett Lynch, effective 1 January 2023. 

Mr Sal Vitale 

Chief Financial Officer, Sayona 

A graduate of McGill and Concordia Universities, Sal has more than 25 years' experience in strategic positions with leading companies. Prior to joining Sayona, Sal Vitale was Vice President Finance at LSSV Capital. Before that, he served as Chief Financial Officer at Alliance Magnesium. 

As CFO, he guided Transforce to multiply its annual revenues to over $1 billion by overseeing over 50 acquisitions. At Intertape Polymer, Sal Vitale helped grow annual revenues from $200 million to $1 billion. 

Sal puts his business building skills to work for Sayona and its ambitions to become a world-class company, a leader in the energy transition of transportation. 

Sylvain Collard 

Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer 

Sylvain has been in charge of Sayona's operations in Québec since autumn 2022. He is responsible for the Company’s three projects in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, as well as the Moblan and Lac-Albert projects. 

A specialist in mine project management and continuous process improvement, he has extensive experience in operations management for both open pit and underground mines. 

During his career, Sylvain has worked on several IAMGOLD mining projects, notably as manager of a major capital project at the Essakane mine in Burkina Faso, where 3,500 workers were under his direction. He has also managed copper and gold mines and projects in Québec, Ontario and the United States. 

Ms Cindy Valence 

Executive Vice President & Chief Sustainability Officer 

Cindy has applied her energy and conviction regarding sustainability, societal impact and value co-creation for Sayona since 2021. 

Always on the lookout for best practices from mining companies around the world, she works to build exemplary relationships between the company and the communities where it operates. 

Cindy sits on the Board of Directors of Women in Mining in Abitibi and of Propulsion Québec, the electric and intelligent transportation cluster. She holds an MBA, with a specialization in the mining industry.