Mr. Murray Nye reports

NORTH AMERICAN NIOBIUM AND CRITICAL MINERALS CORP. REPORTS POSITIVE PRELIMINARY SOIL-GAS RADON SURVEY RESULTS AT BLANCHETTE AND BARDY; PHASE 2 PLANNED WITH RAPID FOLLOW-UP PORTABLE BEDROCK DRILLING PROGRAM

North American Niobium and Critical Minerals Corp. has provided an update on its phase 1 soil-gas radon survey completed by RadonEx on the company's Blanchette and Bardy properties in Quebec, located approximately 40 kilometres northwest of the municipality of La Tuque. Preliminary results are positive, with multiple anomalous zones (radon hot spots) observed that are spatially associated with the REE (rare earth element) mineral prospects Blanchette-1, Blanchette-2 and Bardy, and that may suggest additional target areas are consistent with extensions of REE-bearing pegmatitic granitic dikes.

Highlights:

• Multiple preliminary anomalous zones appear spatially associated with Blanchette-1, Blanchette-2 and Bardy REE prospects.
• A preliminary west-northwest-east-southeast radon trend interpreted at Bardy is considered consistent with regional dike orientations reported by Quebec government geologists (MRNF Sigeom database);
• North American Niobium and Critical Minerals is integrating near-real-time radon targeting with a rapid follow-up backpack drilling program, enabling the company to act quickly on newly identified anomalous areas;
• North American Niobium and Critical Minerals plans a phase 2 expansion of the radon soil-gas survey in Q1 2026, increasing coverage to additional areas of the Blanchette, Bardy and Seigneurie properties (grid sizing and spacing under review).

Preliminary survey observations and interpretation

The phase 1 soil-gas radon survey was completed by RadonEx from Dec. 16 to Dec. 18, 2025, on the company's Blanchette and Bardy properties, comprising one 250-metre-by-250-metre grid at Bardy with 68 sampling points (anomalous responses defined as hreater than 0.19 picocurie per square metre per second) and two 200-metre-by-200-metre grids at Blanchette with 72 sampling points (anomalous responses defined as greater than 0.15 picocurie per square metre per second), each based on RadonEx thresholds. North American Niobium and Critical Minerals' preliminary interpretation is that several radon anomalies occur in proximity to known REE prospects on both properties and that the distribution of these hot spots may suggest extensions of pegmatitic granitic dikes beyond currently mapped or prospected areas. The identification of pegmatitic dike extensions is significant as these units are known to locally host or control REE and niobium mineralization on the properties. At Bardy, the company interprets a west-northwest-east-southeast trend in the anomalous pattern. The company notes that local access features (including a road) may have influenced signal continuity in places; however, several anomalous responses were observed near the road corridor. A broader survey footprint and expanded coverage may help resolve the trend and potential southwest extension at Bardy.

The company emphasizes that these results are preliminary and qualitative at this stage. Radon anomalies are being used as a targeting tool to help focus follow-up work, particularly in areas with overburden, and do not confirm mineralization.

Real-time targeting and rapid follow-up sampling program

To maximize its derisking strategy, North American Niobium and Critical Minerals is pairing the radon survey's rapid turnaround (with data processed and reviewed on a daily basis) with the addition of an extra prospecting team to follow up anomalous zones soon after they are identified.

This follow-up work will include a low-impact non-hydraulic portable backpack drilling service. The method is designed to drill through 20 metres of overburden or more, where present, and recover approximately two to three metres of bedrock core for geological logging and sampling. The team is expected to collect approximately three to five samples on average per day, depending on overburden conditions. Samples will be reviewed by a Quebec-registered PGeo prior to selecting the most prospective pegmatite or carbonatite samples for rush analysis.

North American Niobium and Critical Minerals believes that combining daily/near-daily radon targeting with rapid follow-up sampling can help the company prioritize the most prospective areas for coming diamond drilling programs, rather than broadly sampling the entire property package.

Phase 2 plan

Based on the spatial association observed between preliminary radon anomalies and known prospects and the interpreted west-northwest-east-southeast trend at Bardy, North American Niobium and Critical Minerals intends to advance to a phase 2 radon survey expansion in Q1 2026, extending coverage to additional areas on the Blanchette and Bardy properties. Final grid design, including spacing, remains under discussion.

The planned backpack drilling and sampling activity is considered low impact and is being conducted as a prospecting activity, the equipment does not involve hydraulic force, which does not require an ATI permit in Quebec.

"By combining near-real-time radon targeting with low-impact, portable backpack drilling, we can rapidly recover bedrock core samples directly from the strongest radon hot spots -- focusing our work where anomalies occur instead of broadly sampling across the entire property," said Murray Nye, chief executive officer of North American Niobium. "Overburden is often under 10 metres for easy access; this method can drill 20 metres plus if needed. Similar bedrock-/basal-till-style approaches have been used successfully by other groups, including Kenorland, on a property-scale basis in Quebec -- this is one of the best ways to derisk an exploration project and generate quality drill targets."

About North American Niobium and Critical Minerals Corp.

North American Niobium and Critical Minerals is a North American mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of precious, base and critical mineral assets. Its portfolio includes the Silver Lake property in British Columbia's Omineca mining division and a recently acquired land package in Quebec's Grenville province. The Quebec properties add exposure to rare earth elements, niobium and nickel-copper occurrences, expanding the company's footprint into critical minerals that are strategically important for energy and defence applications.

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