Vancouver, British Columbia, July 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- North American Niobium and Critical Minerals Corp. (CSE: NIOB) (FSE: KS82.F) (OTCQB: NIOMF) (NIOB or the Company) now has a complete picture for drill hole SGN-2026-007 at its Seigneurie Project. Final assay results show niobium oxide at grades similar to those from SGN-2026-003 over an interval that's more than twice as long, as well as three metres of unexpected copper.
"We continue to receive results that will help us understand the economic potential of Seigneurie," said Murray Nye, NIOB's Chief Executive Officer. "The niobium sits in the same intervals as we reported on July 3, and the copper zone deeper in the hole adds an unexpected component. At this early stage grade is not the whole story; what matters is how the niobium, copper, and rare earths are distributed and which minerals carry them, and that is the work ahead."
SGN-2026-07 highlights
- Niobium oxide (Nb2O5), 10 m from 128.00 m to 138.00 m averaging 842.3 ppm and 7.3 m from 12.00 me to 19.30 m averaging 453 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 3 m from 216.50 m to 219.50 m averaging 2,701.7 ppm, almost three times the grade of the copper found in SGN-2026-003
- Next steps: an automated mineralogy (TIMA) study to identify the minerals hosting the niobium and rare earths of economic interest, as the Company advances exploration across its broader Québec portfolio to prioritize the strongest targets.
Detailed discussion
NIOB's Seigneurie Project is in Québec's Grenville Province, known for hosting a variety of rare earth element and critical minerals. This is the first time a company has applied a systematic drill program looking for rare earths or niobium to the pegmatite system at Seigneurie.
The Nb2O5 zones reported in this hole correspond to the dysprosium oxide/HREO intervals reported in the Company's news release dated July 3, 2026. A correlation probably exists between the presence of niobium and Ytrium, the predominant HREO element; the planned mineralogical analysis will determine the minerals hosting this mineralization. These results complement the higher-grade intervals returned by hole SGN-2026-003, located approximately 950 m west of SGN-2026-007
The copper interval lies deeper in the hole and is concentrated near the pegmatite contact with amphibolite rocks.
Composite intervals were calculated as length-weighted averages at cutoff grades of 400 ppm Nb2O5 and 500 ppm Cu, with interval boundaries at or above the cutoff grade and a maximum of 4 metres of internal dilution. Niobium oxide values are derived from elemental laboratory assays using standard stoichiometric conversion factors. Reported intervals are core (downhole) lengths. True widths have not yet been determined.
Figure 1: Vertical cross-section through hole SGN-2026-007 (looking west), Seigneurie project, showing the niobium oxide zones (12.00 to 19.30 m and 128.00 to 138.00 m), copper zone (216.50 to 219.50m), downhole Nb2O5 and Cu distribution and composites, and surface sample locations.
Please click to view image
Table 1: Composite niobium oxide (Nb2O5) assay results and best intervals for Hole SGN-2026-007.
| From (m) | To (m) | Length (m) | Nb2O5 (ppm) |
| 12.0 | 19.3 | 7.3 | 453.0 |
| incl. 12.0 | 12.9 | 0.9 | 709.5 |
| incl. 12.9 | 14.3 | 1.4 | 776.8 |
| 128.0 | 138.0 | 10.0 | 842.3 |
| incl. 128.0 | 129.0 | 1.0 | 1,009.9 |
| incl. 129.0 | 130.0 | 1.0 | 1,082.9 |
| incl. 130.0 | 131.0 | 1.0 | 772.5 |
| incl. 131.0 | 132.0 | 1.0 | 1,095.8 |
| incl. 132.0 | 132.6 | 0.6 | 835.4 |
| incl. 132.6 | 133.1 | 0.5 | 726.7 |
| incl. 136.5 | 137.0 | 0.5 | 1,287.5 |
| incl. 137.0 | 138.0 | 1.0 | 2,028.4 |
Table 2: Composite copper (Cu) assay results and best intervals for Hole SGN-2026-007.
| From (m) | To (m) | Length (m) | Cu (ppm) |
| 216.5 | 219.5 | 3.0 | 2,701.7 |
| incl. 216.5 | 217.5 | 1.0 | 7,332.0 |
| incl. 218.8 | 219.5 | 0.7 | 1,006.0 |
Drilling and geological context
Hole SGN-2026-007 was collared at 481680E/5382081N and UTM NAD83 Zone 18. It was drilled at an azimuth of 0° and a dip of 45° to a total depth of approximately 290 m.
The hole intersected an approximately 105.45-metre interval (63.85-169.3 m core length) of pink-to-red, K-feldspar-dominated pegmatite with 15-20% smoky quartz and Ti-magnetite. Handheld radiometric readings within the pegmatite reached up to approximately 1,400 counts per second (indicative only - not a measure of grade).
Quality Assurance and Quality Control
Samples were submitted to SGS Canada Inc. Rare earth elements were determined by sodium-peroxide-fusion ICP-MS (SGS method GE_IMS91A50), niobium by fused-bead XRF (GO_XRF72NB) and copper by sodium-peroxide-fusion, nitric acid, ICP-AES (GE_ICP91A50).
Quality control included certified reference materials, blanks and field duplicates inserted into the sample stream (approximately 13% of submitted samples). The reported samples are NQ-size half-core, split along the core axis and sampled over intervals of approximately 0.5 to 1.0 m, with the remaining half-core retained for reference.
Core recovery through the mineralized intervals averaged approximately 90% and is not considered to have materially affected sample representivity.
SGS Canada Inc. is independent of the Company and operates an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited analytical facility at Val-d'Or, Québec.
Next Steps
The Company's next step is mineralogical analysis to further understand the economic potential of Seigneurie:
- Complete the automated mineralogy (TIMA) study to determine the mineral hosts and deportment of the rare earths and niobium.
- If the REE-bearing minerals cannot be identified by TIMA, complete follow-up laser ablation ICP-MS or electron microprobe analyses.
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 Qualified Person has verified the data disclosed in this release by reviewing the SGS Canada Inc. analytical certificates and the Company's quality-control results and reconciling the reported values to the laboratory certificates. No limitations to the data verification were identified. Results for approximately 5% of the QA/QC samples remain under review.
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 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 defense applications.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Murray Nye
Chief Executive Officer
info@northamericanniobium.com
+1 (647) 984-4204
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," "strategy," "target" 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) the completion, timing and outcomes of the automated mineralogy (TIMA) study and its bearing on the deportment of niobium and the rare earths; (ii) the potential use of follow-up laser ablation ICP-MS or electron microprobe analyses if the REE-bearing minerals cannot be identified by TIMA; (iii) the Company's intention to advance exploration across its broader Québec portfolio and to prioritize niobium and rare earth targets; and (iv) expectations regarding rare earth, niobium and copper markets. Such forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current plans, intentions, expectations and beliefs and are subject to assumptions, including 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. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to: assay, mineralogical and metallurgical results differing from expectations or from field observations; the timing and receipt of laboratory results; the inherent uncertainty of mineral exploration; changes in commodity prices and market conditions, including rare earth and niobium prices; the availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms; general economic, business and political conditions; environmental and operational risks; changes in government regulation or policy; and the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development. Additional information regarding risks and uncertainties 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 in this release are made as of the date hereof and are based on information currently available and management's beliefs, estimates 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.
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.
