North American Niobium and Critical Minerals Corp. Confirms Magnet REE and Niobium Mineralization at Blanchette, Bardy and Sabot Properties, Including 1.82% TREO and 0.14% Nb2O5

Vancouver, British Columbia, Jan. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- North American Niobium and Critical Minerals Corp. (CSE: NIOB) (FSE: KS82.F) (OTCQB: NIOMF) ("North American Niobium" or the "Company") is pleased to report geochemical results from select rock grab samples collected during its Q4 2025 prospecting program on the Company's 100%-owned Blanchette, Bardy and Sabot properties in Québec, located approximately 40 km from the Municipality of La Tuque. The results confirm the presence of magnet rare earth elements and niobium within pegmatite-hosted systems, reinforcing the Company's thesis that its Québec portfolio is prospective for critical minerals essential to clean energy, electrification, and defense applications.

Highlights

• Blanchette: A select outcrop rock grab sample returned 1.82% TREO, including 3,979.41 ppm MREO (2,892.67 ppm Nd2O3, 935.15 ppm Pr6O11, 123.95 ppm Dy2O3 and 27.64 ppm Tb₄O₇) and 0.14% Nb2O5.

• Bardy: A select outcrop rock grab sample returned 0.319% TREO, including 682.50 ppm MREO.

• Sabot: A select outcrop rock grab sample returned 0.155% TREO, including 313.12 ppm MREO.

• Next steps: At Bardy and Blanchette, the Company plans follow-up soil-gas radon surveying conducted in tandem with a backpack drilling program. A separate high-resolution magnetic survey is also planned to further define and prioritize target areas.

MREO: Magnet Rare Earth Oxide; TREO: Total Rare Earth Oxide; TREE: Total Rare Earth Elements

Q4 2025 Prospecting Program and Results

The Q4 2025 program consisted of reconnaissance prospecting and selective outcrop sampling across the Blanchette, Bardy and Sabot properties to validate historical grab assay results and guide follow-up exploration. The results reported in this release are derived from select outcrop rock grab samples, which are selective by nature and may not be representative of underlying mineralization. The Company collected 98 samples at Bardy, 86 samples at Blanchette, and 15 samples at Sabot during its 2025 Fall Program. The twenty (20) best assay results shown in Table 1 below were collected from granitic rocks, predominantly pegmatite, located approximately 40 km northwest of the Municipality of La Tuque. These encouraging results were selected because they exceed either the 0.10% TREO threshold or 500 ppm Nb2O5. Notably, pegmatite sample G170126 from Blanchette returned 0.48% Cu and 158.53 ppm Nd2O3.The Company also confirmed that the 2.7% TREE sample (including 4,090 ppm Nd) was a channel sample collected across the full 40 cm width of the dyke. The historical Bardy sample (0.69% TREE total, including 1,150 ppm Nd) could not be located. The identification of elevated magnet REEs and niobium in surface samples across multiple properties supports the presence of a fertile mineral system within the Grenville Province. These results provide a technical basis to advance toward subsurface validation and systematic target delineation.

Table 1: Best assay results from the Q4 2025 prospecting program on Blanchette, Bardy and Sabot. Twenty (20) assay results are above 500 ppm Nb₂O₅ or TREO above 0.1%.

Sample ID	Project	Rock code	EASTING	NORTHING	TREO (%)	MREO (ppm)	Cu (ppm)	Nb2O5 (ppm)	Pr6O11 (ppm)	Nd2O3 (ppm)	Tb4O7 (ppm)	Dy2O3 (ppm)	Y2O3 (ppm)
G170127	Blanchette	PEGMATITE	198015	5282461	1.824	3979.41	21	1473.42	935.15	2892.672	27.64	123.95	665.43
G170262	Bardy	PEGMATITE	168004	5279558	0.319	682.50	6	10.51	167.34	498.0528	3.28	13.83	60.83
G170251	Bardy	PEGMATITE	168040	5279582	0.243	500.79	8	37.62	123.24	360.4176	2.91	14.23	74.42
G170264	Bardy	PEGMATITE	167990	5279546	0.235	515.29	7	14.95	125.05	374.4144	2.80	13.03	66.92
G170073	Sabot	GRANITE	198972	5300325	0.155	313.12	17	16.74	76.72	228.6144	1.50	6.29	35.43
G170007	Bardy	PEGMATITE	167944	5279512	0.146	341.08	14	53.93	78.53	253.1088	1.79	7.64	40.00
G170022	Bardy	PEGMATITE	168055	5279549	0.135	292.88	8	9.33	69.71	215.784	1.36	6.01	27.68
G170125	Blanchette	PEGMATITE	198007	5282455	0.128	257.85	11	11.17	63.31	190.1232	0.98	3.44	14.03
G170018	Bardy	PEGMATITE	168124	5279602	0.114	269.58	9	20.89	62.46	200.6208	1.22	5.27	26.92
G170017	Bardy	PEGMATITE	168041	5279579	0.107	257.20	28	42.20	48.33	176.7096	4.62	27.54	149.85
G170136	Blanchette	PEGMATITE	198223	5282646	0.105	334.46	10	203.13	60.65	247.2768	4.49	22.04	77.84
G170126	Blanchette	PEGMATITE	198005	5282454	0.105	216.87	4790	10.37	54.73	158.6304	0.74	2.77	12.33
G170116	Blanchette	PEGMATITE	198535	5282703	0.104	269.91	6	466.34	52.07	184.2912	5.42	28.12	139.05
G170150	Blanchette	GRANITE	197837	5281746	0.100	206.28	7	171.66	47.36	144.6336	2.35	11.94	70.61
G170046	Bardy	PEGMATITE	168253	5278766	0.100	215.77	13	582.21	47.97	159.2136	1.56	7.02	50.42
G170266	Bardy	PEGMATITE	167988	5279545	0.098	212.09	18	619.41	47.24	147.5496	2.67	14.63	66.29
G170285	Blanchette	PEGMATITE	197922	5282049	0.064	138.21	5	700.95	18.24	77.91552	6.01	36.04	197.47
G170296	Blanchette	PEGMATITE	197947	5283271	0.062	116.30	3	802.51	6.96	42.80688	9.03	57.50	300.97
G170284	Blanchette	GRANITE	197921	5282050	0.046	94.63	5	655.17	9.69	47.8224	5.33	31.79	177.15
G170258	Bardy	PEGMATITE	168012	5279564	0.027	55.24	27	582.21	8.93	32.19264	1.90	12.22	73.40

Notes:

• TREO (%) includes Y2O3-

• MREO (ppm) is the sum of Nd2O3 + Pr6O11 + Dy2O3 + Tb4O7-

• Grab samples are selective and no sample widths are implied. Rock grab samples are not necessarily representative of mineralization hosted on the properties.

Planned Follow-Up Work

The Company plans to advance priority areas at Bardy and Blanchette with a soil-gas radon survey conducted in tandem with a low-impact backpack drilling program to validate radon anomalies associated with mineralization and refine targets. A separate high-resolution magnetic survey is also planned to further define and prioritize target areas and guide subsequent exploration.

Sampling and Analytical Methods

Rock grab samples were collected from outcrop during the Q4 2025 prospecting program and submitted to ALS Laboratories in Lachine, Québec for analysis. Samples were analyzed using ALS method ME-MS71L, which includes ammonium bifluoride (ABF) decomposition / near-total extraction with ICP analytical techniques for multi-element geochemistry.

The Company did not insert certified reference materials, blanks, or field duplicates as part of this reconnaissance-level selective rock grab sampling. ALS employs internal quality control procedures as part of its analytical protocols. The data has been reviewed by the Qualified Person.

"These results validate our geological thesis across multiple Québec properties and confirm the presence of magnet rare earth elements and niobium in key target areas," said Murray Nye, Chief Executive Officer of North American Niobium. "With high-priority zones now identified at Blanchette, Bardy, and Sabot, we are moving decisively into follow-up programs designed to test continuity and scale."

ABOUT NORTH AMERICAN NIOBIUM AND CRITICAL MINERALS CORP.

North American Niobium and Critical Minerals Corp. 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 (REE), niobium (Nb), and nickel-copper (Ni-Cu) occurrences, expanding the Company's footprint into critical minerals that are strategically important for energy and defense applications.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Murray Nye
Chief Executive Officer

1055 West Georgia Street, Suite 1500
Vancouver, BC V6E 0B6
Canada

For further information, please contact:

Murray Nye, CEO
Email: [e-mail]
Phone: [phone]

CSE:NIOB
OTCQB: NIOMF
FSE:KS82.F

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events, results, outcomes or developments that the Company expects, anticipates or intends to occur in the future, or that otherwise reflect management's expectations or beliefs about future events, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally, but not always, identified by the use of words and phrases such as "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential," "opportunity," "strategy," "target," "forecast" and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions or results "will," "would," "may," "could," or "should" occur or be achieved.

Forward-looking statements in this release include but are not limited to: (i) statements regarding the Properties and their mineral prospectivity; (ii) the Company's planned exploration, development and evaluation activities on the Properties; and (iii) the potential for the Grenville Province to host significant rare earth element, niobium, nickel-copper or other critical mineral deposits. Such forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current plans, intentions, expectations and beliefs and are subject to certain assumptions, including, without limitation, assumptions that exploration results will continue to support the prospectivity of the Properties.

Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements are not guarantees of future performance or outcomes and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated include, but are not limited to: the timing and receipt of required regulatory approvals; changes in commodity prices and market conditions; the availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms; general economic, business and political conditions; risks inherent in mineral exploration and development, including operational risks, geological uncertainties, environmental risks and accidents; changes in government regulation or policy; and the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development. Additional information regarding risks and uncertainties faced by the Company is available in the Company's public disclosure record on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).

Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and undue reliance should not be placed on them. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are made as of the date hereof and are based on information currently available and management's beliefs, estimates, expectations and opinions at that time. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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 ("NI 43-101"). Clyde McMillan, P.Geo., a consultant to the Company and a Qualified Person as defined under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained herein.

The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release