Mr. Sean Charland reports

APEX PROVIDES RECAP OF 2025 REGIONAL EXPLORATION DRILLING AND PRIORITY FOLLOW UP TARGETS AT THE CAP CRITICAL MINERALS PROJECT

Apex Critical Metals Corp. has provided a summary of all analytical results from its 2025 regional exploration drilling program and 2026 outlook at the 100-per-cent-owned Cap critical minerals project in central British Columbia.

Highlights:

• The company expanded mineralization from CAP25-006, which returned 124.5 metres of 0.27 per cent Nb2O5 (niobium pentoxide), encompassing the previously announced 36 m of 0.59 per cent Nb2O5 that included 10 m at 1.08 per cent Nb2O5.
• The additional drill holes in 2025 were designed to test regional target areas. The niobium-enriched discovery in CAP25-006 remains open in multiple directions and a priority area for follow-up drilling in 2026.
• Multiple rare-earth-element-enriched intervals were returned across the 2025 drilling, including two significant zones grading between 1.08 per cent and 1.33 per cent REO (rare earth oxides) over 3.0 m and 3.4 m in CAP25-005 and CAP25-006, respectively, demonstrating strong rare earth potential within the carbonatite system.
• Significant phosphate mineralization occurs in both high-grade and broad intervals, with P2O5 (phosphorus pentoxide) grades up to 16.2 per cent over 3.8 m (CAP25-007) and several intervals exceeding 5 per cent P2O5, including 6.2 per cent P2O5 over 45 m (CAP25-007) and 4.5 per cent P2O5 over 97.2 m (CAP25-012).
• The new geophysical survey results (see news release dated Nov. 12, 2025) show a massive buried magnetic anomaly that has yet to be tested at depth. Testing this high-priority target and following up on the new near-surface niobium discovery will be the dual focus for 2026 drilling.

Sean Charland, chief executive officer of Apex Critical Metals, stated: "The drilling highlight of the 2025 program remains the near-surface, high-grade niobium discovery, with the additional assay results showing a broader interval in CAP25-006 and further niobium, phosphate and REE mineralization in other regional target areas, which reinforces our interpretation of a large, fertile carbonatite system. We are equally excited by the intensity and scale of the untested magnetic anomaly to the southeast of our 2025 regional program, underscoring the opportunity and exploration upside at Cap."

The 2025 exploration program consisted of nine helicopter-supported NQ diamond drill holes totalling 2,323 m. The remaining results confirm widespread niobium, rare earth element and phosphate mineralization across multiple drill holes and substantially expand the mineralized interval previously reported from discovery hole CAP25-006. Collectively, the results demonstrate that Cap hosts potential for a large, fertile, multiphase carbonatite system that remains open and underexplored.

Previously released rush assays from CAP25-006 reported 36 m averaging 0.59 per cent Nb2O5, including 10 m at 1.08 per cent Nb2O5, beginning at only 33.5 m downhole (see news release dated Aug. 27, 2025). Complete assays now show that this zone is part of a much broader mineralized interval totalling 124.5 m averaging 0.27 per cent Nb2O5, confirming continuity and scale. This niobium-enriched zone was not directly followed up on during the 2025 first-pass regional drilling campaign and remains open both laterally and at depth.

The assay results also demonstrate meaningful rare earth element potential at Cap. As outlined in Table 1, multiple REE-bearing intervals were intersected across the 2025 drilling, including intervals grading between 1.08 per cent and 1.33 per cent REO over 3.0 m and 3.4 m in CAP25-005 and CAP25-006, respectively. Localized samples exceeding 2 per cent REO indicate enrichment and support a broader critical-metal signature within the carbonatite system (Table 1).

Phosphate mineralization is well developed across the project, with assay results returning both high-grade and broad, continuous intervals. Results reach up to 16.2 per cent P2O5 over 3.8 m, with intervals including 45.0 m at 6.22 per cent from CAP25-007 and 58.2 m at 5.63 per cent from CAP25-012 (Table 1). The distribution of these phosphate-rich zones across multiple drill holes further supports the interpretation of a large carbonatite system.

The company completed a geophysical survey near the end of the exploration season concurrent to its final drill holes to better detail andto further refine subsurface targeting. The survey outlined a large magnetic anomaly interpreted to represent a buried intrusive body. To date, this anomaly has only been tested by a single historical (2017) drill hole that did not reach the interpreted target depth. The size, strength and limited drill testing of this feature present a compelling opportunity for follow-up, with several well-positioned drill holes planned for the 2026 exploration season.

The company will now incorporate the full 2025 assay data set and newly acquired airborne magnetic survey results into an updated geological model. This work will support the design of the 2026 drill program, which is expected to focus on stepout drilling around the CAP25-006 niobium discovery and initial testing of high-priority targets generated from the 2025 airborne geophysical survey. The 2025 exploration program was a success in advancing the company's understanding of the carbonatite system at Cap and refining the focus for the year ahead.

The near-term focus remains on the company's flagship Rift rare earth project in Nebraska, United States, where significant progress is being made toward a fully funded drill program, which is expected to commence in early Q1 2026.

Quality assurance/quality control

All drilling was completed using a helicopter-supported diamond drill rig with NQ-size core and all drill core samples have been or will be shipped to Activation Laboratories Ltd.'s preparation facility in Kamloops, B.C., for standard sample preparation (code RX1), which includes drying, crushing (less than seven kilograms) up to 80 per cent passing two millimetres mm, riffle splitting (250 grams) and pulverizing (mild steel) to 95 per cent passing 105 micrometres. The samples were subsequently analyzed using Code 8 by XRF (X-ray fluorescence) for Nb2O5, ZrO2 (zirconia) and Ta2O5 (tantalum pentoxide) (0.003 per cent) and 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 on site.

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 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively.

Qualified person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Nathan Schmidt, PGeo, a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (EGBC licence No. 48336). Mr. Schmidt is a geologist with Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd. (EGBC permit to practise No. 1003035), the consulting firm engaged by Apex Critical Metals to conduct and oversee all of the company's exploration work, including the 2025 drill program.

Mr. Schmidt has verified all scientific and technical data disclosed in this news release, including the sampling and QA/QC results, and certified analytical data underlying the technical information disclosed. Mr. Schmidt noted no errors or omissions during the data verification process. The company and Mr. Schmidt do not recognize any factors of sampling or recovery that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the assay data disclosed in this news release.

About Apex Critical Metals Corp.

Apex Critical Metals 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, United States, hosts extensive rare earth rights surrounding one of North America's most advanced niobium/REE deposits. Historical drilling across the complex has reported broad intervals of high-grade REE mineralization, including intercepts such as 155.5 m of 2.70 per cent REO and 68.2 m of 3.32 per cent REO.

In Canada, Apex continues to advance its 100-per-cent-owned Cap project, located 85 kilometres northeast of Prince George, B.C. The 2025 drill program confirmed a significant niobium discovery with 0.59 per cent Nb2O5 over 36 metres, including 1.08 per cent 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 under the symbol APXC and quoted on the OTCQX market in the United States under the symbol APXCF and in Germany on the Borse Frankfurt exchange under the symbol KL9 and/or WKN: A40CCQ.

We seek Safe Harbor.