VANCOUVER, BC - Apex Critical Metals Corp. ('Apex' or the 'Company') (CSE: APXC) (OTCQX: APXCF) (FWB: KL9) (Euronext Access Paris: MLAPX), a mineral exploration company focused on advancing its strategic 100%-controlled Rift Rare Earth Project within the Elk Creek Carbonatite Complex in southeastern Nebraska, U.S.A., is pleased to report the assay results from drillholes RIFT26-011, RIFT26-012, RIFT26-013 and RIFT26-014.
REO (Rare Earth Oxide) is defined as the sum of Ce2O3, La2O3, Pr2O3, Nd2O3, Eu2O3, Sm2O3, Gd2O3, Tb2O3, Dy2O3, Ho2O3, Er2O3, Tm2O3, Yb2O3, Lu2O3, and Y2O3.
Key Observations and Takeaways
Current analytical results from RIFT26-012 & RIFT26-014 demonstrate continuity and expansion of the Trinity Zone extending the high grade >2.00% REO mineralization down dip and west of previously reported drillholes RIFT26-002 as well as RIFT26-003 & RIFT26-005A, respectively. Hematite altered carbonatite is present in each of the current drillholes and further demonstrates a correlation with strong REO values. Similar rock characteristics are observed along western step out drillholes offering positive indications and expansion potential of the Trinity Zone.
Program Status and Next Steps
The Company has completed additional drillholes designed to further test the extent of mineralization along strike and at depth with assay results pending. Ongoing refinement of the 3D geological model, including integration of assay results as received, will support improved understanding of the mineralized system and help prioritize future drill targeting. The 2026 drill program remains ongoing, with a total of thirty-two (32) drillholes completed to date for approximately 21,000 m, with assays currently pending for eighteen (18) drillholes. Drilling is expected to continue through August and September with a single drill rig.
Quality Assurance / Quality Control
All drilling was completed using one truck and one track mounted diamond drill rigs with HQ-size core and all drill core samples have been or will be shipped to Activation Laboratories Ltd. (Actlabs) preparation facility in Ancaster, Ontario, for standard sample preparation (code RX1) which includes drying, crush (< 7 kg) up to 80% passing 2 mm, riffle split (250 g) and pulverize (mild steel) to 95% passing 105 -microm. The samples were subsequently analyzed using Code 8 by XRF Nb2O5, ZrO2 and Ta2O5 (0.003%), Code 8 - REE Assay (lithium metaborate/tetraborate fusion with subsequent analysis by ICP and ICP/MS). Drill core was saw-cut with half-core sent for geochemical analysis and half-core remaining in the box onsite.
A Quality Assurance/Quality Control protocol was incorporated into the program and included the insertion of certified reference material and silica blanks at a rate of approximately 5% and 5%, respectively. Additional analysis of pulp-split and reject-split sample duplicates was also completed at a rate of approximately 5% and 2.5%, respectively, to assess analytical precision at different stages. Actlabs Canada is independent of the Company.
Management cautions that the interception of carbonatite and associated hematite alteration is not necessarily indicative of mineralization. Assay results are required to confirm the presence, grade, and significance of any mineralization. All intercepts reported in this news release represent core length (apparent width). True widths have not yet been determined.
About Apex Critical Metals Corp. (CSE:APXC) (OTCQX:APXCF) (FWB:KL9) (Euronext Access Paris:MLAPX)
Apex Critical Metals Corp. is a Canadian exploration company focused on advancing rare earth element (REE) and niobium projects that support the growing demand for critical and strategic metals across the United States and Canada. The Company's flagship Rift Project, located within the highly prospective Elk Creek Carbonatite Complex in Nebraska, U.S.A., hosts extensive rare earth rights surrounding one of North America's most advanced niobium deposits. Two historical drillholes located within the 700 m corridor of interest returned broad intervals of >2.00% REO, with higher grade (>3.00% REO) intervals within. The Company's 2026 drilling has continued to demonstrate this grade profile and have expanded the footprint of the high-grade mineralization ('Trinity Zone) over approximately 380 m from the historical drillholes to-date. Additionally, drilling has delineated a new deeper horizon ('Neo Zone') of strongly elevated NdPr beneath the high-grade material with NdPr distributions between 30-50%.
In Canada, Apex continues to advance its 100%-owned Cap Project, located 85 kilometres northeast of Prince George, British Columbia. The 2025 drill program confirmed an emerging niobium discovery with 0.59% Nb2O5 over 36 metres, including 1.08% Nb2O5 over 10 metres, within a 1.8-kilometre-long niobium trend. The Cap Project continues to demonstrate strong potential for niobium mineralization within a large and previously unrecognized carbonatite system.
With a growing portfolio of critical mineral projects in both Canada and the United States, Apex Critical Metals is strategically positioned to help strengthen domestic supply chains for the minerals essential to advanced technologies, clean energy, and national security. Apex is publicly listed in Canada on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) under the symbol APXC and quoted on the OTCQX market in the United States under the symbol APXCF, in Germany on the Borse Frankfurt under the symbol KL9 and/or WKN: A40CCQ, and in France on Euronext Access Paris under the symbol 'MLAPX.
Contact:
Sean Charland
Tel: 604.681.1568
Email: info@apexcriticalmetals.com
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
This news release may contain 'forward-looking information' or 'forward-looking statements' under applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively, 'forward-looking statements'). Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Forward-looking statements in this news release include (without limitation) statements regarding the Company's drill program and any subsequent drill programs and statements regarding the Company's prospective assets (more particularly described above), and statements regarding future assay results and the potential for future exploration and drilling to confirm the source of magnetic anomalies, to test the extent of mineralization along strike and at depth, and ongoing refinement of the 3D geological modelling and understanding of the mineralized system. Forward-looking statements are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. Risks that could change or prevent these events, activities or developments from coming to fruition include: the Company's properties are at an early stage of development and no current mineral resources or reserves have been identified by the Company thereof, that we may not be able to fully finance any additional exploration on the Company's properties; that even if we are able to raise capital, costs for exploration activities may increase such that we may not have sufficient funds to pay for such exploration or processing activities; the timing and content of any future work programs; geological interpretations based on drilling that may change with more detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumptions based on limited test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that, with further test work, may not be comparable; testing of our process may not prove successful or samples derived from our properties may not yield positive results, and even if such tests are successful or initial sample results are positive, the economic and other outcomes may not be as expected; the anticipated market demand for REE and other minerals may not be as expected; the availability of labour and equipment to undertake future exploration work and testing activities; geopolitical risks which may result in market and economic instability. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements herein are made as of the date hereof, and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
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