Mr. James Nelson reports

CRUZ BATTERY METALS ENGAGES STANTEC FOR MAIDEN RESOURCE ESTIMATE AND TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE SOLAR LITHIUM PROJECT IN NEVADA, DIRECTLY BORDERING AMERICAN LITHIUM

Cruz Battery Metals Corp. has engaged Stantec Consulting Ltd. to complete a maiden resource estimate (MRE) and technical report for the Solar lithium project in Clayton Valley, Nevada. The technical report will be prepared in accordance with the requirements of National Instrument 43-101. The Stantec qualified person (Derek Loveday, PGeo) has direct experience in the Tonopah area, which includes visiting Albemarle Corp.'s Silver Peak mine, visiting Ioneer Ltd.'s Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project, and completing a resource estimate and technical report for American Lithium Corp. on the TLC lithium project.

Throughout the first four phases of drilling (announced on Jan. 17, 2022, May 18, 2022, March 31, 2023, and July 13, 2023), Cruz has discovered lithium in all 14 drill holes on the 100-per-cent-owned, 4,938-acre Solar lithium project in Nevada, directly bordering American Lithium's TLC lithium project.

According to American Lithium's website: "In February, 2025, the American Lithium Corp. announced an updated mineral resource estimate that significantly increased the contained lithium resources for the TLC project. This MRE was completed as part of the process of compiling the maiden preliminary economic assessment and was incorporated into the mine plan within the maiden PEA, which was released on Feb. 1, 2023. TLC currently hosts 6.17 million tonnes lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) measured resources, 2.39 million tonnes LCE indicated resources and 1.44 million tonnes LCE inferred resources." Cruz management cannot verify American Lithium's results other than the publicly available information.

James Nelson, president of Cruz Battery Metals, stated: "Lithium prices are currently at two-year highs and are now up over 100 per cent since June, 2025, according to [the Trading Economics website]. Attention towards domestic lithium seems to have renewed since President Trump agreed to take a stake in Lithium Americas' Thacker Pass lithium mine in Nevada, announced by Reuters on Oct. 1, 2025. With the recent resurgence of investor attention back into the lithium sector, management feels this is an opportune time to proceed with producing a maiden resource estimate on the Solar lithium project. The company is very optimistic about the growth prospects for the remainder of 2026 and beyond as we become more active than we've been in years."

Qualified person

The technical contents of this release were reviewed and approved by Frank Bain, PGeo, a director of the company and qualified person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Bain has not independently verified American Lithium's technical report.

About Cruz Battery Metals Corp.

Cruz currently has several battery-metals-focused projects located in the United States. Cruz's Nevada lithium projects consist of the 4,938-acre Solar lithium project, the 240-acre Clayton Valley lithium brine project and the 580-acre Central Clayton Valley lithium brine project. In Idaho, Cruz has the 124-acre Idaho cobalt belt project. Cruz also has the Sterling South gold/copper project in Ontario, Canada. Management cautions that past results or discoveries on properties in proximity to Cruz may not necessarily be indicative of the presence of mineralization on the company's properties.