Athabasca Minerals subsidiary (Aggregates Marketing Inc.) successfully deploys proprietary ‘Rockchain™’ Digital Platform for $45 million in Construction Materials Bids

EDMONTON, Alberta, Sept. 23, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Athabasca Minerals Inc. (“AMI” or the “Corporation”) (TSX Venture: ABM) announces its subsidiary, Aggregates Marketing Inc., in the last 6 months has successfully developed and deployed its proprietary ‘Rockchain™’ digital platform with optimized supply-transport solutions for more than $45 million in construction materials bids. Tenders have focussed particularly on delivery of aggregates for pipeline, infrastructure, road construction, municipality improvements and civil projects across three Western Canadian provinces and has resulted in an increasing number of contract awards.

AMI’s ‘Rockchain™’ digital platform, created by Aggregates Marketing Inc., currently includes a growing network of over 700 suppliers, transportation and equipment companies across Western Canada. Additionally, it incorporates an algorithm module that determines the best supply-transport combination to help improve utilization for aggregate producers and trucking companies, with price and service benefits to customers. AMI’s ‘Rockchain™’ is further bolstered by an Integrated Quality Assurance program that validates product delivery solutions, which are cross-checked to ensure project specifications are achieved. Aggregates Marketing Inc. has also established 1.833.GOT.ROCK™ to further widen its model to include Business-to-Consumer solutions to supplement its Business-to-Business network.

In support of its digital solutions, Aggregates Marketing Inc. has added software programming expertise to its organization and is efficiently leveraging the Corporation’s bench strength in logistics & supply chain management, business development, quality control, and finance. Correspondingly, the Corporation has promoted Mr. Johnathan Dyck, MBA, CPA, CMA to Vice President, Aggregates Marketing.

Robert Beekhuizen, CEO, states, “Aggregates Marketing Inc. is bringing an innovative approach to a very pervasive, but fragmented aggregates industry. Our goals are to grow geographically across North America and bring upside for pit operators and trucking companies with further opportunities from our digital market intelligence that helps to improve asset utilization across the sector. At the same time, we are bringing end-use customers more options with better combined pricing using our algorithmic approach in the delivery of aggregate products while maintaining the necessary quality standards. In essence, Aggregates Marketing Inc. is a ‘midstreamer of aggregates, enabled by technology’. We see a valuable role in our ‘Rockchain™’ digital platform to overcome sub-optimal supply/transport combinations with better commercial solutions, which ultimately enhances value for customers. AMI will also continue to evolve with technology as a core competency to meet the growing demands in the way we are doing business as it fits with our view of the future.”

For more information on Aggregates Marketing Inc. visit

About Athabasca Minerals

The Corporation is an integrated group of aggregates companies involved in resource development, aggregates marketing and midstream supply-logistics solutions. Business activities include aggregate production, pit management services, sales from corporate-owned and third-party pits, acquisitions of sand and gravel operations, and new venture development. Athabasca Minerals is the parent company of Aggregates Marketing Inc. – a midstream technology-based business providing integrated supply and transportation solutions for industrial and construction markets. It is also the parent company of AMI Silica Inc. – a subsidiary positioning to become a leading supplier of premium domestic in-basin sand with regional deposits in Alberta and NE British Columbia. It is the joint venture owner of the Montney In-Basin and Duvernay Basin Frac Sand Projects. Additionally, the Corporation has industrial mineral leases, such as those supporting the Richardson Quarry Project, that are strategically positioned for future development in industrial regions of high potential aggregates demand.

For further information on Athabasca, please contact:

Dean Stuart

T: 403 617 7609

E:

Robert Beekhuizen

T: 587 525 9610

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