Patriot Battery Metals, High-Grade Pollucite Confirmed as Main Caesium Host Mineral at the Vega and Rigel Zones

Published: 2025-06-12 10:06:20 ET PMET.TO

Published on 06/12/2025 at 10:06

Sydney, Australia - PATRIOT BATTERY METALS INC. (THE 'COMPANY' OR 'PATRIOT') (TSX: PMET) (ASX: PMT) (OTCQX: PMETF) (FSE: R9GA) is pleased to provide an update on caesium a high-value critical and strategic metal identified at the CV13 spodumene pegmatite, at its 100%-owned Shaakichiuwaanaan Property located in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Quebec.

The CV13 Spodumene Pegmatite is located approximately 3 km west-southwest along geological trend of the CV5 Spodumene Pegmatite, which is situated approximately 13 km south of the regional and all-weather Trans-Taiga Road and powerline infrastructure corridor, and is accessible year-round by all-season road.

The Shaakichiuwaanaan Li-Cs-Ta ('LCT') pegmatites are highly evolved through the process of crystal fractionation during formation, whereby mineral crystallization leads to progressive changes in the chemistry of the remaining melt, resulting in increasingly rare minerals being formed as the process unfolds. This process of pegmatite formation most commonly leads to only modest enrichment of lithium and other critical metals. However, in the LCT pegmatites at Shaakichiuwaanaan this process has resulted in the extreme enrichment of lithium, caesium, and tantalum each at potentially world-class scale as well as other potentially recoverable critical and strategic metals (e.g., gallium).

Each of these critical metals could become further value-added by-products to the envisioned lithium operation at Shaakichiuwaanaan. Additional information is provided below describing the caesium opportunity and the steps being taken to evaluate development of this unique asset. Further details will be provided on the other potential by-products identified, including tantalum and gallium, in the coming weeks.

CAESIUM OPPORTUNITY

In news releases dated March 2 and April 9, 2025, the Company announced the discovery of significant caesium mineralization in drill hole at the CV13 Pegmatite within the Vega and Rigel zones. Initial drill results include: 11.1 m at 4.87% Cs2O, including 7.1 m at 7.39% Cs2O (Vega, CV24-520), and 5.0 m at 13.32% Cs2O, including 2.0 m at 22.90% Cs2O (Rigel, CV23-255).

The Company is pleased to report that XRD-Rietveld mineralogical analysis completed on drill core samples from the Vega and Rigel caesium zones has confirmed pollucite as the dominant caesium-bearing mineral present. A pollucite content high of 74.2% was reported over 1.1 m in drill hole CV23-204, assaying 26.6% Cs2O.

Pollucite is considered the optimal mineral host to caesium in LCT pegmatites due to its very high caesium content (typically >30%) and its relative ease of processing and recovery. Pollucite is typically recovered using standard and conventional ore sorting methods as well as potential secondary flotation. The Company has completed collection of drill core samples from the Vega Zone for an ore sorting test program that will evaluate pollucite (caesium) concentrate recovery ahead of the typical spodumene (lithium) and tantalite (tantalum) recovery circuits.

Using a 0.5% Cs2O grade constraint within the wider CV13 Pegmatite body, the interpreted extent of the Vega and Rigel caesium zones has been further refined. The footprint of caesium mineralization at the Vega Zone has been traced over a general area of at least 800 m x 250 m and consists of two proximal flat-lying lenses, at a depth of 110 m, with a true thickness of