NEW YORK, March 31, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Critical Metals Corp. (Nasdaq: CRML) ("Critical Metals Corp." or the "Company"), a leading critical mineral mining company, today announced that the historical metallurgical test results done by AMTEC / ALS in 2016 has been successfully replicated in the 2025 test work program undertaken at Fremantle Metallurgy laboratories, Perth, Western Australia, under the review of independent consultant Professor Tony Tang. Professor Tony Tang utilized a duplicate ore sample that was used in the original 2016 Tanbreez study.
Highlights
- Outstanding 2.96% TREO and HREO refined concentrate
- Approximate 40% increase over the previous 2.1% TREO refined concentrate results.
In December 2025, the Company received the initial assay reports from Fremantle Metallurgical test Work and Independent Laboratory assay confirmation by Nagrom Metallurgical, in Perth, Western Australia, under the guidance of Independent Company Consultant, Emeritus Professor Dr Tony Tang.
The results confirmed up to ~40% improved refined concentrate from historical Test Work in 2016 AMTEC/ALS, by application of new technology, with total TREEs recovery results that mark a significantly improved refined concentrate and confirmation of repeatability.
The eudialyte and mixed-concentrate recoveries were confirmed to contain all 8 significant in-demand rare earth elements (REEs), including heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) and strategic rare metal concentrates. Using a simplified and improved flowsheet, enhanced by modern permanent magnets operating at 10,000-12,000 gauss and optimized staging, the process achieved recovery rates better than 85%.
The improved results were achieved through modifications to the flowsheet in the primary magnetic separation stage. These changes enabled the recovery of all magnetic and paramagnetic materials using higher-gauss magnetic separation to more effectively reject non-magnetic material, followed by additional beneficiation and polishing stages.
This improved flowsheet enabled a third-stage magnetic separation to reject low-REE-value magnetic material, resulting in the recovery of a higher-grade eudialyte concentrate. The process achieved better than 85% deportment recovery, with an increased overall yield of ~40%.
Tony Sage, Chairman of CRML, commented:
"Given these outstanding results, the current flowsheet announced in the previously released PEA is now obsolete. A replacement PEA will be issued confirming Pilot Plant concentrate production results approximately 3 months before the Company releases a revised DFS.
This represents a significant milestone for the Tanbreez development as the project transitions from laboratory-scale testing to pilot plant operations, scheduled to commence in May 2026. The program will include production of a simulated 1:100 pilot-scale concentrate, supporting future full-scale processing.
I am pleased to announce this progress as our international team continues to successfully produce concentrate for our offtake partners in the EU, Saudi Arabia, and the USA.
Test work remains ongoing, while field activities in Greenland-including drilling programs-are in the final stages of planning. These efforts will support the supply of fresh pilot plant feed from Tanbreez, beginning in May 2026."
Figure 1. Polishing Test Work for Final Export Con (Eudialyte)
Figure 2. Process Flowchart for Final Production of Eudialyte Export Con
Table 1. Nagrom 2026 - Metal Oxide & Rare Earth for Concentrate 1 and Concentrate 2
Table 2. Comparison Table between historical 2016 Test Work and 2026 Test Work
The Company remains committed to advancing the Tanbreez Project through targeted metallurgical programs, with the upcoming 150-tonne bulk sample in June 2026 representing a critical milestone. This work is expected to validate processing pathways and support the consistent production of TREO and metal oxide concentrates, reinforcing confidence in the project's technical and commercial potential.
The offtake partners will each receive a minimum of 10t of high-grade pre-production eudialyte concentrate for their refining development.
ABOUT CRITICAL METALS CORP.
Critical Metals Corp (Nasdaq: CRML) is a leading mining development company focused on critical metals and minerals, and producing strategic products essential to electrification and next-generation technologies for Europe and its Western world partners. Its flagship Project, Tanbreez, is one of the world's largest, rare-earth deposits and is located in Southern Greenland. The deposit is expected to have access to key transportation outlets as the area features year-round direct shipping access via deep water fjords that lead directly to the North Atlantic Ocean.
Another key asset is the Wolfsberg Lithium Project located in Carinthia, 270 km south of Vienna, Austria. The Wolfsberg Lithium Project is the first fully permitted mine in Europe and is strategically located with access to established road and rail infrastructure and is expected to be the next major producer of key lithium products to support the European market. Wolfsberg is well positioned with offtake and downstream partners to become a unique and valuable asset in an expanding geostrategic critical metals portfolio. With this strategic asset portfolio, Critical Metals Corp is positioned to become a reliable and sustainable supplier of critical minerals essential for defense applications, the clean energy transition, and next-generation technologies in the western world.
For more information, please visit https://www.criticalmetalscorp.com/.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). Forward-looking statements may include expectations of our business and the plans and objectives of management for future operations. These statements constitute projections, forecasts and forward-looking statements, and are not guarantees of performance. Such statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. When used in this news release, forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "estimate," "plan," "project," "forecast," "intend," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "seek," "target," "designed to" or other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical facts. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on potentially inaccurate assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected or implied by the forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements for many reasons, including the factors discussed under the "Risk Factors" section in the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this news release, and expectations, forecasts and assumptions as of that date, involve a number of judgments, risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date, and we do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
Critical Metals Corp.
Investor Relations: ir@criticalmetalscorp.com
Media: pr@criticalmetalscorp.com
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