JANUARY 19, 2012 – MONTREAL, QUEBECCritical Elements Corporation (TSX.V: CRE) (US OTCQX: CRECF) (FSE: F12) is pleased to announce the appointment of Jean-Francois Meilleur as Vice President.
 

Jean-François Meilleur is presently President and co-owner of Paradox Public Relations.  His many accomplishments include playing a key role in raising funds for many projects.  Mr. Meilleur holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the HEC business school (Hautes Études Commerciales) in Montreal, with a specialization in marketing and finance.  Mr. Meilleur previously worked as a trader at Swiftrade, and has extensive knowledge of the financial markets.

“With his many years of experience, Jean-Francois Meilleur brings solid financial expertise and a broad network of contacts to Critical Elements Corporation,” said Jean-Sébastien Lavallée, Company President and CEO.

Mr. Meilleur will receive 350,000 stock options of the Company. Each option entitles its holder to acquire one share of the Company at $0.15 per share for a five-year period.
 

ABOUT CRITICAL ELEMENTS CORPORATION
Critical Elements is actively developing its 100%-owned Rose Lithium-Tantalum flagship project located in Quebec.
 
A recent financial analysis of the Rose Project based on price forecasts of US$260/kg ($118/lb) for Ta2O5 contained in a tantalite concentrate and US$6,000/t for lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) show an after-tax Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of an estimated 25% for the Rose Project, with an estimated Net Present Value (NPV) of CA$279 million at an 8% discount rate. The payback period is estimated at 4.1 years. The pre-tax IRR is estimated at 33% and the NPV at $488 million at a discount rate of 8%. (Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability).

The project hosts a current NI 43-101-compliant Indicated resource of 26.5 million tonnes of 1.30% LI2O Eq. or 0.98% LI2O and 163 ppm Ta2O5 and an Inferred resource of 10.7 million tonnes of 1.14% LI2O Eq. or 0.86% LI2O and 145 ppm Ta2O5.

Critical Elements is presently in the tendering process for the various aspects of the feasibility study and has commissioned Genivar to complete an environmental impact study of Rose deposit and Acme Metallurgical Ltd. of Vancouver is carrying out project metallurgy.

Critical Elements’ portfolio also includes rare-earth and Tantalum-Niobium projects in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia and in Quebec, as well as a 50% interest in the Croinor project, which is located in Quebec and hosts a current NI 43-101-compliant measured and indicated resource of 814,228 tonnes at 9.11 g/t Au, for 238,414 ounces of gold at a 5 g/t cut-off.

Jean-Sebastien Lavallée (OGQ #773), geologist, shareholder and president and chief executive officer of the Company and a Qualified Person under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical content of this release.
 

Critical Elements shareholders, please contact:
Jean-Sébastien Lavallée, P. Geo, President and CEO
819-354-5146

www.cecorp.ca

Paradox Public Relations
514-341-0408

Media:
Frédéric Bérard
Vice President, Financial and Regulatory Affairs
and General Manager, Montreal
HKDP Communications and Public Affairs
514-395-0375

 

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.