REG - Aterian PLC - Commercial Trading Launch and International Sales

AterianAnnouncement

Mon 07:00

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RNS Number : 2024Z  Aterian PLC  15 September 2025

15 September 2025

 

Aterian Plc
("Aterian", the "Company" or the "Group")

 

Commercial Trading Launch and International Sales

Aterian plc (LSE: ATN), the critical mineral exploration and development
company, is pleased to announce the launch of expanded trading operations in
the Republic of Rwanda ("Rwanda"), marked by the first consignment of
responsibly sourced tantalum-niobium ("Coltan") concentrate transferred to the
Company's global trading partner.

Aterian's partnership with a leading metals and minerals trading house with a
global presence, specialising in non-ferrous and speciality materials,
provides Aterian with an established international sales and marketing
platform, enabling the Company to scale rapidly while securing access to a
wide network of downstream buyers.

Following the completion of due diligence by our partner and extensive product
trials and compliance checks with a coordinated group of OECD-aligned
artisanal and small-scale mining suppliers, Eastinco Ltd (Aterian's wholly
owned Rwandan trading subsidiary) has now activated its responsibly sourced
supply chain of tantalum and niobium and has initiated commercial sales.

To accelerate this expansion, Aterian has secured a US$250,000 mezzanine loan
facility, which has been fully drawn down and deployed into trading
operations. This capital is dedicated to the acquisition of responsibly
sourced Rwandan mineral concentrates.

Aterian CEO, Simon Rollason, commented,

"The successful completion of supplier trials and compliance checks, combined
with the injection of new trading capital, enables us to now move forward at
pace. We anticipate a significant increase in trading volumes over the coming
weeks as we activate multiple supply relationships and scale procurement
operations with our trade finance partners. This is a pivotal moment for our
trading business, laying the commercial foundation for growth across the
region. With our operations, risk management systems and partnerships now in
place, we are confident in our ability to demonstrate complete traceability
compliance whilst building a robust and high-integrity supply chain that can
support substantial volume growth and underpin long-term revenue generation
for the Group."

Responsible Sourcing & Growth

All mineral supplies handled by Aterian are sourced in accordance with the
International Tin Supply Chain Initiative (ITSCI) and comply fully with the
OECD Due Diligence Guidance. Rigorous on-site audits, mine origin
verification, and conflict-free checks underpin the Company's commitment to
responsible sourcing.

This partnership not only validates Aterian's trading model but also
demonstrates the commercial pathway to build a vertically integrated
exploration and trading platform for critical minerals across East Africa. The
Company has implemented rigorous onboarding and audit procedures to ensure
that each supplier has been thoroughly vetted across operational, legal, and
ethical criteria, including on-site assessments, verification of mine origin,
and confirmation of conflict-free status. These checks will be ongoing and
were a critical step to securing sufficient supply volumes. This commitment to
traceability and responsible sourcing not only safeguards Aterian's reputation
but also positions the Group as a reliable and transparent partner to
downstream international buyers, who are increasingly focused on ESG-aligned
procurement.  Export sales with container-sized volumes will now commence.

Further updates on trading performance and supply expansion will be provided
in due course.

 Concentrate onboarding and registration from ASMs.             Milling to customer size fraction specifications.

 Preparing delivered concentrate for internal assay checks.     The Company's pXRF station for verifying delivered concentrate grade.

 Preparing sub-samples of concentrate for laboratory analysis.  Independent ASIR representative overseeing product blending procedures before
                                                                sealing in tagged containers for shipping.

Our Focus Product: Coltan (Tantalite - Niobium)

Tantalite is a dense, black to brownish mineral that is a major source of
tantalum, a rare, hard and highly corrosion-resistant metal widely used in
modern electronics and other high-tech applications. Tantalite is part of the
columbite-tantalite mineral group, often referred to as coltan, and typically
contains tantalum (Ta) and niobium (Nb) in varying proportions.

Tantalum is primarily used in electronic components, such as capacitors and
high-performance resistors, particularly in smartphones, laptops, gaming
consoles, medical devices, and aerospace technology. Niobium is used in steel
alloys, superconductors, and specialised electronics.

Key terms of the loan capital include:

·      Principal Amount: US$250,000

·      Interest Rate & Fees: 20.0% interest and 2% trading fees

·      Term: Initial three months, extendable by mutual agreement on a
quarterly basis

·      Guarantee: Aterian plc guarantees the performance of Eastinco Ltd
under the facility

- ENDS -

This announcement contains information which, prior to its disclosure, was
inside information as stipulated under Regulation 11 of the Market Abuse
(Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019/310 (as amended).

 

Engage with the Aterian PLC management team directly by asking questions,
watching video
summaries, and seeing what other shareholders have to say.
Navigate to our interactive investor
hub here:
https://aterianplc.com/s/fcf8eb (https://aterianplc.com/s/fcf8eb)

 

 

For further information, please contact:

 

 Investor questions on this announcement

 We encourage all investors to share questions   https://aterianplc.com/s/fcf8eb (https://aterianplc.com/s/fcf8eb)

 on this announcement via our investor hub

Aterian Plc:

Charles Bray, Executive Chairman - charles.bray@aterianplc.com
(mailto:charles.bray@aterianplc.com)

Simon Rollason, Director - simon.rollason@aterianplc.com
(mailto:simon.rollason@aterianplc.com)

 

Financial Adviser and Joint Broker:

Novum Securities Limited

David Coffman / Anastassiya Eley

Colin Rowbury

Tel: +44 (0)207 399 9400

 

Joint Broker:

SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP

Ewan Leggat / Adam Cowl

Tel: +44 20 3470 0470

 

Financial PR:

Bald Voodoo - ben@baldvoodoo.com (mailto:ben@baldvoodoo.com)

Ben Kilbey

Tel: +44 (0)7811 209 344

 

Subscribe to our news alert service: https://atn-l.investorhub.com/auth/signup
(https://atn-l.investorhub.com/auth/signup)

Notes to Editors:

About Aterian plc

www.aterianplc.com (http://www.aterianplc.com)

 

Aterian plc is an LSE-listed exploration and development company with a
diversified African portfolio of critical metals projects.

Aterian plc is actively seeking to acquire and develop new critical metal
resources to strengthen its existing asset base while supporting ethical and
sustainable supply chains as the world transitions to a sustainable, renewable
future. The supply of these metals is vital for developing the renewable
energy, automotive, and electronic manufacturing sectors, which are
increasingly important in reducing carbon emissions and meeting global climate
ambitions.

 

The Company has entered into a joint venture agreement with Rio Tinto Mining
and Exploration Limited. Rio Tinto is earning into the HCK project in
southern Rwanda, exploring and developing a lithium-tantalum-niobium-tin
mining operation. The Company also holds an exploration licence in Rwanda.
Aterian has a portfolio of multiple copper-silver (+ gold) and base metal
projects in Morocco. Aterian holds a 90% interest in Atlantis Metals. This
private, Botswana-registered company holds ten mineral prospecting licences
for copper-silver in the world-renowned Kalahari Copperbelt and three for
lithium brine exploration in the Makgadikgadi Pans region.

 

The Company's strategy is to seek new exploration and production opportunities
across the African continent and to develop new sources of critical mineral
assets for exploration, development, and trading.

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