IBAT Shareholders Approve Strategic Overhaul for Lithium Expansion

PLANO, TX – December 17, 2025 – International Battery Metals Ltd. (TSXV: IBAT) & (OTCQB: IBATF) has secured a powerful vote of confidence from its shareholders, who overwhelmingly approved all five proposals at the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) held today. The results signal strong backing for the company's leadership and its strategic push to commercialize its proprietary direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology.

Key among the approved measures were the election of a six-member board of directors, the approval of a new equity incentive plan, and a significant “Consolidation Resolution” poised to reshape the company's capital structure. With these approvals, IBAT has solidified its corporate foundation as it aims to become a key player in the global push for sustainably sourced lithium.

A Mandate for Growth and Governance

The AGM results reflect near-unanimous support for the company's current leadership and governance framework. Shareholders voted with 99.38% in favor of setting the number of directors at six, subsequently electing all nominated members with over 99% approval for each. The re-elected board includes CEO Joseph A. Mills and Dr. John Burba, a widely recognized pioneer in the field of direct lithium extraction.

The continuity of this leadership team, which combines executive experience with deep technical expertise, is seen as critical for navigating the next phase of the company's growth. This stability is further supported by the shareholder approval of the company’s 2025 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan, which passed with 97.83% of the vote (excluding shares held by insiders).

This plan is designed to attract, retain, and motivate key employees and executives by aligning their compensation with the company’s long-term performance and shareholder value. For a technology-focused company like IBAT, competing for top talent is paramount. The new incentive plan provides a crucial tool to ensure its team remains committed as it moves from development to full-scale commercial deployment of its DLE systems.

Also passing with over 99.7% approval was the ratification of CBIZ CPAs P.C. as the company’s independent registered public accounting firm, finalizing a clean sweep of governance-related proposals and underscoring the trust shareholders place in the current operational and oversight structure.

Beyond the Ballot: Unpacking the Consolidation Resolution

Perhaps the most strategically significant proposal approved was the “Consolidation Resolution,” which passed with a decisive 96.69% of votes in favor. While the press release did not detail the specifics, this resolution is widely understood to authorize a reverse stock split. Company filings leading up to the AGM indicated a potential consolidation ratio of up to 50-to-1.

A reverse stock split reduces the number of a company's outstanding shares and proportionally increases the price per share. While not affecting the company's overall market capitalization, the move is a strategic financial maneuver often employed by companies aiming to enhance their profile with institutional investors, satisfy exchange listing requirements, and create a more stable capital structure ahead of significant growth.

For International Battery Metals, this consolidation is a preparatory step. By increasing its share price, the company becomes more attractive to a broader range of investors who may have policies against holding very low-priced stocks. More importantly, it positions IBAT with a stronger financial posture as it seeks project financing and engages in high-stakes negotiations for deploying its modular DLE plants globally. This proactive capital management signals that the company is preparing for a new league of operational and financial activity.

Bolstering the Push for Sustainable Lithium Extraction

Underpinning all these corporate maneuvers is IBAT's innovative technology, which promises to address one of the biggest challenges in the energy transition: how to produce lithium quickly, economically, and with minimal environmental damage. The global demand for lithium, a critical component in batteries for electric vehicles and grid-scale energy storage, is projected to skyrocket. However, traditional extraction methods, such as large-scale evaporation ponds and hard-rock mining, are often water-intensive, slow, and carry a significant environmental footprint.

IBAT's solution is a patented DLE system housed in modular, transportable platforms. This technology is designed to extract lithium chloride directly from salt brines and, crucially, return the vast majority of the water to the original subsurface aquifer. This closed-loop approach dramatically reduces water consumption and surface-level impact compared to conventional methods.

The modular design is another key differentiator, allowing for faster deployment and commissioning once on-site. Instead of years-long construction projects, IBAT's plants can be brought into production within a condensed timeframe, offering a more agile response to market demand. The strong shareholder mandate from the AGM provides the corporate and financial backing needed to accelerate the manufacturing and deployment of these units, turning technological promise into tangible production.

Operational Milestones and Financial Footing

The confidence displayed by shareholders at the AGM is reinforced by the company's recent operational momentum. IBAT has been actively advancing its commercialization strategy, recently securing and closing a second follow-on investment of $2.0 million from EV Metals under an existing Letter of Intent. This continued financial backing from a strategic partner underscores external belief in the viability of IBAT's technology and business plan.

Furthermore, the company is looking beyond North America, having previously announced a Middle East Collaboration Agreement to pursue lithium extraction projects in the region. This move highlights the global applicability and demand for its transportable DLE solution. Operationally, the promotion of Don Bender to Vice President of Technology in November signals a continued focus on refining and scaling its core intellectual property.

Recent financial reports have also indicated a transition, with the company beginning to generate revenue associated with the start-up and commissioning of its first Modular DLE Plant. With a unified board, a newly approved incentive structure to retain top talent, and a strengthened capital structure on the horizon, International Battery Metals is now better equipped than ever to convert its technological advantages into a significant share of the burgeoning market for green lithium.