Mr. Murray Nye reports

NIOB CUTS TARGET PEGMATITE IN ALL BARDY HOLES

North American Niobium and Critical Minerals Corp. has validated its radon targeting approach, after drilling at Bardy delivers a 100-per-cent hit rate for pegmatite dikes and a 75-per-cent hit rate for rare-earth minerals. The pegmatite dikes were predicted from soil-gas radon anomalies at the Quebec property. Hole BBY-2026-006 returned the strongest visual mineralization, including an eight-metre syenitic pegmatite (139.70 m to 147.70 m) with visible allanite. The hole ended in mineralized pegmatite, leaving the system open in all directions. All observations are from visual core logging; drill core is being sampled for laboratory analysis.

"These visual observations confirm the targeting approach we are applying across our portfolio in Quebec's Grenville province," said Murray Nye, North American Niobium's chief executive officer. "We used a radon survey to target the pegmatite and surface mapping to target rare-earth minerals. Every hole intersected pegmatite, and six of the eight holes carry visible allanite, with parisite logged in one hole. These are encouraging visual results, and we look forward to the assay results that will test the rare-earth tenor."

Highlights

• Every hole hit the target. All eight holes (BBY-2026-001 to -008) totalling 1,554 metres and drilled across a 500-metre east-west area, intersected the targeted syenitic-to-granitic pegmatite dikes.
• Rare-earth minerals in six of the eight holes. Visible allanite-and parisite in hole BBY-2026-001- was logged in six holes. The two remaining holes cut the same target pegmatite carrying magnetite, confirming dike continuity.
• Hole 006 delivered the strongest visual mineralization and is open at depth. BBY-2026-006 intersected an eight-metre syenitic pegmatite (139.70 m to 147.70 m) with an allanite-rich interval at 146.20 m to 146.40 m, an allanite cluster at 8.20 m to 8.30 m, and disseminated allanite at 71.30 m to 71.65 m. The hole ended in pegmatite at 156 metres, and is open at depth.
• Coarse allanite in hole 004. BBY-2026-004 returned an approximately two-centimetre allanite-dominant mass at 35.40 m to 36.30 m with a strong scintillometer response, plus allanite and apatite/possible monazite over 28.75 m to 30.60 m.
• Mineralization down the deepest holes. BBY-2026-003 (216 m) logged allanite at 97.0 m and 195.2 m; BBY-2026-008 (300 m) logged disseminated allanite over 154.90 m to 157.20 m.
• Radon targeting validated. The pegmatite dikes were predicted from soil-gas radon anomalies; every hole confirmed a dike, and three-quarters host rare-earth minerals.

All eight holes cut the targeted pegmatite

The program tested soil-gas radon anomalies and the main Bardy dike (approximately north 70 degrees/negative 50) against the property's surface rare-earth plus/minus niobium showing, over a 500-metre east-west area.

All eight holes intersected the targeted syenitic-to-granitic pegmatite dikes, validating the radon-anomaly targeting model. Rare-earth-bearing minerals-principally allanite, with parisite in hole BBY-2026-001 and apatite/possible monazite locally -- were also logged in six of the eight holes: BBY-2026-001, -003, -004, -006, -007 and -008. The two remaining holes cut the same target pegmatite carrying magnetite, without visible rare-earth minerals, confirming dike continuity across the area drilled.

Allanite was identified by comparison with government reference photographs of neodymium-praseodymium mineralized rocks from the district; in core it occurs as dark green, prismatic crystals that give a scintillometer response.

Hole BBY-2026-006

BBY-2026-006 returned the most consistent rare-earth mineralization of the program: an allanite cluster at 8.20 m to 8.30 m, disseminated allanite at 71.30 m to 71.65 m, and an eight-metre syenitic pegmatite from 139.70 m to 147.70 m with an allanite-rich interval at 146.20 m to 146.40 m. The hole ended at 156 metres in syenitic pegmatite, indicating the mineralized structure continues below the current hole depth and supports a deeper follow-up hole.

Drill hole collar details

The eight holes completed at Bardy are summarized in the attached table, as compiled from the project drill-hole database.

Collar co-ordinates are in UTM Zone 18N (UTME equals easting, UTMN equals northing; NAD83 to be confirmed). All eight holes were drilled at a dip of negative 50 degrees. Total: 1,554 m across eight holes over a 500 m east-west area. Reported intervals are downhole (core) lengths; true widths have not yet been determined.

Next steps

1. Drill core is being sampled and submitted for multielement and rare-earth-element assay at an accredited laboratory; results will be disclosed once received and validated under the company's QA/QC (quality assurance/quality control) protocols.
2. Integrate the eight Bardy holes into the geological model to define the orientation, continuity and true widths of the mineralized pegmatite dikes.
3. Evaluate a deeper follow-up hole at BBY-2026-006 to test the down-dip extension, which remains open at depth.
4. Continue the planned drill program on the adjacent Blanchette property.

Qualified person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 -- Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Clyde McMillan, PGeo, vice-president, exploration, of the company and a qualified person as defined under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained herein. As an officer of the company, Mr. McMillan is not independent of the company for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101.

Mr. McMillan, the qualified person, has verified the data disclosed in this news release. Verification consisted of a review of the daily geological reports prepared by Laurentia Exploration, the company's field geological contractor, which documented consistent diagnostic characteristics of the rare-earth minerals across the holes, including colour, crystal habit, scintillometer response and geological setting. Because this disclosure is based on visual core logging and qualitative field instruments only, no analytical (assay) data was available to be verified; the qualified person cautions that visual mineral identifications are preliminary and require laboratory analysis for confirmation.

The mineralization described in this news release has been identified by visual examination of drill core and qualitative field instruments. Visual identifications are preliminary in nature, are inherently uncertain and may not be representative of the rare-earth element content of the rock. Sampling and laboratory analysis are required to confirm the nature and tenor of any mineralization, and the company cautions that mineralization observed at the Bardy property is not necessarily indicative of economic mineralization. All reported pegmatite intervals and widths in this news release are downhole (core) lengths. True widths have not yet been determined and will be estimated once the geological model is updated with the remaining drill-hole data.

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 district-scale land package covering 29,936 hectares in Quebec's Grenville province. The Quebec properties host rare-earth element, niobium and nickel-copper occurrences, expanding the company's footprint into critical minerals that are strategically important for energy and defence applications.

We seek Safe Harbor.