Athabasca Minerals Inc. Presents Employee Share Purchase Plan for Shareholder Approval

CALGARY, Alberta, Aug. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Athabasca Minerals Inc. (“Athabasca”, “AMI” or the “Corporation”) – TSXV: AMI announces that it has received conditional approval from the TSX Venture Exchange (“TSXV”) for an Employee Share Purchase Plan (the “ESP Plan”) with employees, management and directors of AMI. The Corporation will seek shareholder approval of the ESP Plan at the Annual General and Special Meeting to be held on September 22, 2020.

In an effort to preserve the Corporation’s cash position and employees during the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn, AMI implemented a 90/10 compensation program whereby 90% of base salary is paid in cash and 10% of base salary is paid in treasury-issued shares. For this compensation program, the Corporation has put into place an ESP Plan and participation in the ESP Plan is voluntary.

The compensation program was put into effect June 1, 2020 for employees and management. For director’s fees, the compensation program was retroactive to April 1, 2020. The Corporation will present the ESP Plan to Shareholders for approval at the 2020 Annual General and Special Meeting. The ESP Plan is subject to the final acceptance of the TSXV.

ABOUT ATHABASCA MINERALS INC.

Incorporated in 2006, Athabasca is an integrated group of companies focused on the aggregates, industrial minerals and resource sectors, including exploration and development; aggregates marketing and midstream supply-logistics solutions. Business activities include aggregate production, sales and royalties from corporate-owned pits, management services of third-party pits, acquisitions of sand and gravel operations, integrated supply/delivery solutions of industrial minerals, and new venture development. The Corporation is strategically focused on growing its three core business units: the AMI Aggregates division, the AMI RockChain division, and the AMI Silica division. Management is continually pursuing opportunities for sustained growth and diversification in supplying aggregate products and industrial minerals.

Athabasca’s business comprised the following three reportable segments:

• AMI Aggregates division produces and sells aggregate out of its corporate pits and manages the Coffey Lake Public Pit on behalf of the Province of Alberta for which aggregate management services revenue are earned. Additionally, the Corporation has industrial mineral leases, such as those supporting AMI’s Richardson Quarry Project, that are strategically positioned for future development in industrial regions with historically and consistently high demand for aggregates.
• AMI Silica division is positioning to become a leading supplier of premium domestic silica sand with regional deposits in Alberta and NE British Columbia. This reporting segment encompasses all silica assets including Firebag, the Duvernay Project and the Montney In-Basin Project.
• AMI RockChain division is a midstream technology-based business using its proprietary RockChain™ digital platform, associated algorithm and quality assurance & control services to provide cost-effective integrated supply / delivery solutions of industrial minerals to industry, and the construction sector.
  
  ○  TerraShift Engineering Ltd. is a newly acquired division of RockChain. It offers technology-based applications that support resource exploration and development, environmental and regulatory planning, resource management, compliance reporting, and reclamation for a growing customer base across Western Canada and Ontario.

For further information on AMI, please contact:

Tanya Finney, Director, Investor and Stakeholder Relations

Tel: 587-391-0548 / Email:

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains “forward-looking statements” and “forward-looking information” (collectively referred to herein as “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words “expects”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “continues”, “projects”, “potential”, “budget” and similar expressions, or are events or conditions that “will”, “would”, “may”, “could” or “should” occur or be achieved. This news release contains forward-looking statements pertaining to the approval, implementation and success of the ESP Plan.

Although the Corporation believes that the material factors, expectations and assumptions expressed in such forward-looking statements are reasonable based on information available to it on the date such statements are made, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Corporation can give no assurances that such statements and information will prove to be correct and such statements are not guarantees of future performance. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties.

Actual performance and results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to known and unknown risks, including those set forth in the Corporation’s Annual Information Form (a copy of which can be found under Athabasca’s profile on SEDAR at ) and in the Corporation’s most recent Management’s Discussion and Analysis. Accordingly, readers should not place undue importance or reliance on the forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that the list of factors is not exhaustive.

Statements, including forward-looking statements, contained in this news release are made as of the date they are given and the Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Additional information on these and other factors that could affect the Corporation’s operations and financial results are included in reports on file with applicable securities regulatory authorities and may be accessed under Athabasca’s profile on SEDAR at