Apex Drills 23.1 m of 3.47% REO Within Broader Zone of 137.2 m at 2.01% REO, Extending Mineralization 180 m in Western Step-Out at the Rift Rare Earth Project

Published: 2026-05-18 04:33:52 ET CRML

Published on 05/18/2026 at 04:33 am EDT

VANCOUVER, BC - Apex Critical Metals Corp. (CSE: APXC) (OTCQX: APXCF) (FWB: KL9) ('Apex' or the 'Company'), a mineral exploration company focused on advancing its strategic 100%-controlled Rift Rare Earth Project within the Elk Creek Carbonatite Complex in southeastern Nebraska, U.S.A., is pleased to report the assay results from drillholes RIFT26-004, RIFT26-005A and partial results from RIFT26-006 (162.2 to 500.8 m).

Key Observations and Takeaways

Assay results from RIFT26-004, RIFT26-005A and RIFT26-006 confirm continuity of the upper high-grade REO horizon at depth, herein termed the Trinity Zone. The Trinity Zone is now interpreted to dip shallowly to the west and remains strongly associated with hematite alteration within the host carbonatite, consistent with observations across all previously reported drillholes.

RIFT26-004 and RIFT26-006 were drilled from the same drill pad at different orientations, targeting the western extension of the Trinity Zone previously intersected in RIFT26-001A (45.0 m at 2.07% REO, including 24.9 m at 2.40% REO and historical drillhole NEC11-004. RIFT26-006 intersected a broad, continuous interval of 210.0 m at 1.33% REO from 191.8 m depth, with two distinct higher-grade zones of 43.2 m at 1.61% REO and 43.8 m at 2.75% REO including34.1 m at 3.05% REO. RIFT26-004 intersected the Trinity Zone over two discrete intervals: 15.6 m at 2.10% REO from 216.5 m, and a second interval of 18.8 m at 2.01% REO from 320.6 m depth.

Results from these three drillholes, together with historical and previously reported results from RIFT26-002, RIFT26-001A and RIFT26-003, demonstrate that the Trinity Zone maintains grade and continuity over an approximate 300 m strike length within the greater 700 m mineralized corridor. Coupled with the elevated NdPr(2) distributions previously reported from the underlying Neo Zone, these results reinforce the potential for a significant multi-horizon rare earth mineralized system at the Rift Project.

Program Status and Next Steps

The Company has completed additional drillholes designed to further test the extent of mineralization along strike and at depth with assay results pending. Ongoing refinement of the 3D geological model, including integration of assay results as received, will support improved understanding of the mineralized system and help prioritize future drill targeting. The 2026 drill program remains ongoing, with a total of fifteen (15) drillholes completed to date for approximately 11,000 m, with assays currently pending for nine (9) drillholes.

Quality Assurance / Quality Control

All drilling was completed using one truck and one track mounted diamond drill rigs with HQ size core and all drill core samples have been or will be shipped to Activation Laboratories Ltd. (Actlabs) preparation facility in Ancaster, Ontario, for standard sample preparation (code RX1) which includes drying, crush (< 7 kg) up to 80% passing 2 mm, riffle split (250 g) and pulverize (mild steel) to 95% passing 105 -microm. The samples were subsequently analyzed using Code 8 by XRF Nb2O5, ZrO2 and Ta2O5 (0.003%), Code 8 - REE Assay (lithium metaborate/tetraborate fusion with subsequent analysis by ICP and ICP/MS). Drill core was saw-cut with half-core sent for geochemical analysis and half-core remaining in the box onsite.

A Quality Assurance/Quality Control protocol was incorporated into the program and included the insertion of certified reference material and silica blanks at a rate of approximately 5% and 5%, respectively. Additional analysis of pulp-split and reject-split sample duplicates was also completed at a rate of approximately 5% and 2.5%, respectively, to assess analytical precision at different stages. Actlabs Canada is independent of the Company.

Management cautions that the interception of carbonatite and associated hematite alteration is not necessarily indicative of mineralization. Assay results are required to confirm the presence, grade, and significance of any mineralization.All intercepts reported in this news release represent core length (apparent width). True widths have not yet been determined.

About Apex Critical Metals Corp. (CSE:APXC) (OTCQX:APXCF) (FWB:KL9)

Apex Critical Metals Corp. is a Canadian exploration company focused on advancing rare earth element (REE) and niobium projects that support the growing demand for critical and strategic metals across the United States and Canada. The Company's flagship Rift Project, located within the highly prospective Elk Creek Carbonatite Complex in Nebraska, U.S.A., hosts extensive rare earth rights surrounding one of North America's most advanced niobium-REE deposits. Historical drilling across the complex has reported broad intervals of high-grade REE mineralization, including intercepts such as 155.5 m of 2.70% REO and 68.2 m of 3.32% REO. Phase I step out drill holes at Rift have expanded the footprint of the high-grade mineralization over approximately 275.0 m from the historical drill holes with 23.7 m of 4.02% REO and multiple broad intervals of >2.00% REO. Additionally, Phase I drilling has delineated a new zone of strongly elevated NdPr beneath the high-grade material that extends for approximately 390 m with 13.5 m of 1.08% REO at 31.7 % NdPr and 10.9m of 0.99% REO and 30.1 % NdPr within a broader zone of 22.7 m of 0.79% REO at 32.8% NdPr.

In Canada, Apex continues to advance its 100%-owned Cap Project, located 85 kilometres northeast of Prince George, British Columbia. The 2025 drill program confirmed a significant niobium discovery with 0.59% Nb2O5 over 36 metres, including 1.08% Nb2O5 over 10 metres, within a 1.8-kilometre-long niobium trend. The Cap Project continues to demonstrate strong potential for niobium mineralization within a large and previously unrecognized carbonatite system.

With a growing portfolio of critical mineral projects in both Canada and the United States, Apex Critical Metals is strategically positioned to help strengthen domestic supply chains for the minerals essential to advanced technologies, clean energy, and national security. Apex is publicly listed in Canada on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) under the symbol APXC and quoted on the OTCQX market in the United States under the symbol APXCF, and in Germany on the Borse Frankfurt under the symbol KL9 and/or WKN: A40CCQ.

Contact:

Sean Charland

Tel: 604.681.1568

Email: [email protected]

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release may contain 'forward-looking statements' under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Forward-looking statements in this news release include (without limitation) statements regarding the Company's planned Phase I drill program and any subsequent drill programs and statements regarding the Company's US-based prospective assets (more particularly described above), including the potential for additional acquisitions and the potential for exploration, and statements regarding the potential for future exploration and drilling to confirm the source of magnetic anomalies. Forward-looking statements are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. Risks that could change or prevent these events, activities or developments from coming to fruition include: the Company's properties are at an early stage of development and no current mineral resources or reserves have been identified by the Company thereof, that we may not be able to fully finance any additional exploration on the Company's properties; that even if we are able to raise capital, costs for exploration activities may increase such that we may not have sufficient funds to pay for such exploration or processing activities; the timing and content of any future work programs; geological interpretations based on drilling that may change with more detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumptions based on limited test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that, with further test work, may not be comparable; testing of our process may not prove successful or samples derived from our properties may not yield positive results, and even if such tests are successful or initial sample results are positive, the economic and other outcomes may not be as expected; the anticipated market demand for REE and other minerals may not be as expected; the availability of labour and equipment to undertake future exploration work and testing activities; geopolitical risks which may result in market and economic instability. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements herein are made as of the date hereof, and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.