Mr. Sean Charland reports

APEX MOBILIZES DRILL RIG AND COMMENCES 2026 EXPLORATION PROGRAM AT THE CAP CRITICAL MINERALS PROJECT

Apex Critical Metals Corp. has mobilized a drill rig to its 100-per-cent-owned Cap critical minerals project, located 85 kilometres northeast of Prince George, B.C. One NQ diamond drill rig from Proterra Drilling Ltd. has mobilized to site with drilling now under way.

Highlights:

• NQ diamond drill rig from Proterra Drilling has been mobilized to site, with drilling now under way;
• Approximately four drill holes totalling approximately 1,200 metres planned;
• Two deeper drill holes designed to test the large, approximately 2.2-kilometre-by-1.8-kilometre buried magnetic anomaly located to the southeast of the 2025 drill corridor (news release dated Nov. 12, 2025):
  • High-priority geophysical target previously tested by a single 2017 historical drill hole that did not reach the interpreted target depth;
• Two follow-up holes targeting extensions of the CAP25-006 niobium discovery (see news release dated Aug. 27, 2025), which returned 36 metres at 0.59 per cent Nb2O5 (niobium pentoxide), including 10 metres at 1.08 per cent Nb2O5 within a broader mineralized zone of 62.6 metres at 0.39 per cent Nb2O5, and remains open in multiple directions.

Sean Charland, chief executive officer of Apex Critical Metals, commented: "Our 2025 program delivered an emerging niobium discovery at Cap, which remains open in multiple directions. Our fall geophysical survey also identified a large-scale untested 2.2-by-1.8-kilometre geophysical anomaly that we believe has strong potential to represent a deeper carbonatite system at the project. The company's primary focus is advancing the Rift rare earth project toward an inaugural MRE, but Cap presents a compelling opportunity to provide shareholders with additional discovery exposure and expand on last year's successes with a focused drill program this summer."

The 2026 program is expected to include four drill holes totalling approximately 1,200 metres and is designed around two principal objectives: testing the large buried geophysical anomaly to the west of the 2025 drill corridor and following up on the company's 2025 niobium discovery at CAP25-006.

2026 drill program objectives

Objective 1 -- testing the magnetic anomaly

A high-resolution airborne geophysical survey completed in November, 2025, defined a strong magnetic high measuring approximately 2.2 km by 1.8 km, located to the southeast of the 2025 drilling area (see news release dated Nov. 12, 2025). This large-scale anomaly has been tested by only a single historical (2017) drill hole that did not reach the interpreted target depth. The 2026 program includes two deeper holes designed to penetrate the core of this anomaly for the first time, with the objective of determining whether it reflects a deeper carbonatite body prospective for niobium and rare earth mineralization.

Objective 2 -- extending the CAP25-006 niobium discovery

The 2025 exploration program confirmed a significant niobium discovery in drill hole CAP25-006, which returned 124.5 metres at 0.27 per cent Nb2O5, encompassing a higher-grade interval of 36 metres at 0.59 per cent Nb2O5 that included 10 m at 1.08 per cent Nb2O5 (see news release dated Aug. 27, 2025). This discovery, situated within a 1.8-kilometre-long niobium-mineralized trend (see news release dated Nov. 12, 2024), remains open in multiple directions. The 2026 program includes two planned follow-up holes designed to test for extensions of this mineralization along strike and at depth.

The 2026 program is fully permitted under the company's existing multiyear area-based (MYAB) permit. Assay results will be reported as they are received and interpreted.

Qualified person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Nathan Schmidt, PGeo (EGBC licence No. 48336), a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Schmidt is a geologist with Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd., the consulting firm engaged by Apex Critical Metals to conduct and oversee all of the company's exploration work. Mr. Schmidt has verified all scientific and technical 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 deposits. Two historical drill holes located within the 700-metre corridor of interest returned broad intervals of greater than 2.00 per cent REO (rare earth oxide), with higher-grade (greater than 3.00 per cent REO) intervals within. The company's 2026 drilling has continued to demonstrate this grade profile and has expanded the footprint of the high-grade mineralization over approximately 380 metres from the historical drill holes. Additionally, drilling has delineated a new horizon (Neo zone) of strongly elevated NdPr (neodymium-praseodymium) beneath the high-grade material, with NdPr distributions between 30 per cent and 50 per cent.

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 an emerging 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 under the symbol KL9 and/or WKN A40CCQ.

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