North American Niobium to Fly Airborne Survey Over Four Québec Properties

Press Release

2026 Exploration program on track as data pipeline expands

Vancouver, British Columbia, June 11, 2026 — North American Niobium and Critical Minerals Corp. (CSE: NIOB) (FSE: KS82.F) (OTCQB: NIOMF) (“NIOB” or the “Company”) continues to advance multiple targets across its district-scale portfolio in Québec. A mid-June airborne radiometric and magnetic survey is planned over the Bardy SE, Miskam, Sabot, and Blanchette properties to identify radiometric responses potentially associated with rare earth element (REE) and niobium (Nb) mineralization. As well, satellite-derived radon and helium soil-gas estimates, prepared by independent specialist consultants using multi-sensor remote sensing data, are being integrated into the Company’s target generation workflow.

Drilling is now underway at the Bardy and Blanchette properties, where approximately 1,500 metres is planned at each property. A second drill rig is scheduled to mobilize in early July 2026 for an additional approximately 2,500 metres of drilling, with the final approximately 2,500 metres of the 2026 program retained as a flexible tranche, to be deployed against targets refined by the airborne and soil-gas work. Approximately 2,000 metres has been drilled at Seigneurie, where the winter program is now complete.

“Our 2026 program is on track and our data pipeline is filling out as we hoped,” said Murray Nye, NIOB’s Chief Executive Officer. “The mid-June airborne radiometric and magnetic survey, combined with the radon and helium soil-gas datasets we are building, will sharpen our target picture across Bardy SE, Miskam, Sabot, and Blanchette before we deploy the next 2,500 metres of drilling in early July. By holding back the last 2,500 metres as a flexible tranche, we keep optionality to put steel into the most prospective ground once the new geophysics and geochemistry are in hand. This is a deliberate, district-scale approach designed to advance multiple targets—from large intrusion-style bodies to pegmatite dyke systems—across the portfolio in a single field season.”

Highlights

• Mid-June airborne geophysics – An airborne radiometric and magnetic survey is planned for mid-June over the Bardy SE, Miskam, Sabot, and Blanchette properties. The survey is designed to identify radiometric responses potentially associated with REE- and Nb-bearing pegmatite, syenite, and alkaline intrusive systems.
• Two complementary target styles – At Bardy and Blanchette, targets comprise structurally controlled pegmatite dyke and vein swarm systems; at Miskam and Bardy SE, targets are interpreted as large alkaline intrusions with nepheline-bearing phases.
  • At Miskam, the target is an interpreted approximately 60 km² intrusion of the Veillette Intrusive Suite, associated with one of the largest Nb-REE bottom-lake-sediment anomalies in the region (Québec government geochemical data).
  • At Bardy SE, drilling will test the Toad Intrusive Suite (dated at 981.6 Ma), closely comparable in age to the Crevier Alkaline Complex (approximately 957 Ma), host to the Crevier niobium-tantalum deposit.
• Radon and helium soil-gas integration – Soil-gas estimates obtained from independent specialist consultants are being integrated into the Company’s target generation workflow to support targeting beneath overburden cover.
• Second rig and additional drilling in early July – A second drill rig is scheduled to mobilize in early July 2026 to commence an additional approximately 2,500 metres of drilling. Target sequencing for this tranche will be informed by the airborne survey and soil-gas results.
• Final tranche retained as flexible capacity – The Company has retained an additional approximately 2,500 metres in its 2026 budget as a flexible final tranche, allowing it to deploy drilling against the highest-priority targets emerging from the integrated dataset.
• Local resources mobilized – The current drilling phase is being carried out with the support of local Atikamekw service providers.
• Bardy and Blanchette drilling underway – Approximately 1,500 metres at each of the Bardy and Blanchette properties is planned, targeting REE- and Nb-bearing pegmatite dyke and vein systems.
• Seigneurie drill program complete – Approximately 2,000 metres drilled, completing the winter drill program at Seigneurie (further to the Company’s news release dated May 12, 2026). Assays are pending.

2026 Drill Program at a Glance
NIOB’s 2026 drill program totals approximately 10,000 metres and is structured in four phases:

• Seigneurie winter drill program – approximately 2,000 metres (complete; assays pending; results to be reported in due course).
• Bardy and Blanchette – approximately 3,000 metres planned (approximately 1,500 metres at each property; drilling underway).
• Second rig, early July – approximately 2,500 metres planned, with target sequencing informed by the mid-June airborne radiometric and magnetic survey and the integrated radon and helium soil-gas datasets.
• Flexible final tranche – approximately 2,500 metres retained, to be allocated to the highest-priority targets identified from the combined dataset.

Two Mineralisation Styles Across the Portfolio
The Company’s Québec portfolio hosts at least two structurally distinct styles of niobium- and rare-earth-prospective mineralization, each requiring a tailored exploration approach.

Intrusion-style targets
At Seigneurie, the target is interpreted as a large pegmatite-syenite intrusive body, with the Company’s geological reinterpretation—supported by historical and 2026 drilling—suggesting widths potentially exceeding 200 metres in places.

At Miskam and Bardy SE, the targets are interpreted as large alkaline intrusions with nepheline-bearing phases. The Miskam property covers an approximately 60 km² interpreted intrusion of the Veillette Intrusive Suite that is spatially associated with one of the largest Nb-REE bottom-lake-sediment geochemical anomalies in the region, based on Québec government survey data.

At Bardy SE, drilling will test the Toad Intrusive Suite—dated at 981.6 million years ago, comparable in age to the 957 million years ago Crevier Alkaline Complex—located in the Lac-Saint-Jean region, which hosts the multi-million tonne niobium-tantalum Crevier deposit of NioBay Metals Inc.

The age equivalence between the Toad Intrusive Suite and the Crevier Alkaline Complex suggests that the alkaline magmatic event associated with Nb-Ta mineralization at Crevier may also be represented within the Company’s land position. Intrusion-style targets of this scale are well suited to airborne radiometric and magnetic surveying, which can map intrusive geometry, internal phase variations and radiometric zonation ahead of drill targeting.

Dyke- and vein-style targets
At Bardy and Blanchette, the targets are interpreted as structurally controlled pegmatite dyke and vein swarm systems that propagate along regional trends rather than forming a single rounded intrusion.

At Bardy, historical work indicates granitic pegmatite dykes ranging from approximately 40 centimetres to 4 metres in width distributed along an approximately 7-kilometre prospective trend.

The mid-June airborne radiometric and magnetic survey is therefore designed to advance both target styles: mapping the geometry and radiometric response of the interpreted alkaline intrusions at Miskam and Bardy SE, and refining the orientation and extent of the pegmatite dyke systems at Blanchette and Sabot, with the early-July drill tranche to be sequenced against the highest-priority responses.

IAN MALLORY AS STRATEGIC ADVISOR

The Company also announces the engagement of Mr. Ian Mallory as a strategic advisor to the Company pursuant to a two-year consulting agreement.

Mr. Mallory will provide senior strategic and commercial advisory services to the Company, including strategic counsel, relationship facilitation, negotiation support, commercial structuring advice, and ongoing counsel to the Company’s executive team and Board. The engagement is a non-executive, non-operational role, with no day-to-day operational authority or management responsibilities.

Mr. Mallory is a Canadian corporate director and advisor with significant experience in international finance, natural resource project development, and joint venture structuring. A financial lawyer by training, he has held senior executive roles with TransAlta, Westcoast Energy, ENMAX and Sea NG Corporation, and previously served as Counsel to the Treasury of the World Bank. He holds degrees from Harvard University, the University of Toronto and the University of Cambridge, and holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors of Canada.

“Ian brings a rare combination of international finance, natural resources, infrastructure development and cross-border transaction experience,” said Murray Nye, CEO of North American Niobium. “His deep understanding of project finance, strategic partnerships and the global critical minerals sector will be highly valuable as we advance our corporate strategy and evaluate opportunities to build relationships with leading international industry participants. We are very pleased to welcome Ian as a strategic advisor to the Company.”

Pursuant to the consulting agreement, the Company has agreed to grant Mr. Mallory 150,000 stock options under the Company’s stock option plan, subject to applicable regulatory approvals. Each option will be exercisable to acquire one common share of the Company at an exercise price of $1.06 per share for a period of five years from the date of grant.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Murray Nye, CEO
info@northamericanniobium.com
+1 (647) 984-4204

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