Ontario Minister and Nipissing First Nation Chief Visit Volta’s Springer Rare Earth Project, Advancing Indigenous Partnership and Critical Minerals Development

Press Release

Volta Metals Ltd. (CSE: VLTA) (FSE: D0W) (OTC Pink: VOLMF) (“Volta” or the “Company”) is pleased to report a significant site visit by the Honourable Greg Rickford, Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation of Ontario, and Nipissing First Nation (“NFN”) Chief Cathy Stevens to the Company’s Springer Rare Earth Project near Sturgeon Falls, Ontario.

Figure 1. Minister Greg Rickford, Nipissing First Nation Chief Cathy Stevens and NFN Council members, with Volta’s CEO Kerem Usenmez at Springer Rare Earth Project in Ontario.

STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT ON PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

The visit focussed on three key areas that directly impact the Project’s development timeline: permitting pathways under Ontario’s streamlined regulatory framework, Indigenous economic participation opportunities, and the Project’s positioning within North America’s critical minerals supply chain.

Figure 2. Minister Greg Rickford, NFN Chief Cathy Stevens, and Volta’s CEO Kerem Usenmez.

Minister Rickford examined the Project’s geology and infrastructure advantages, including its proximity to established transportation corridors and power infrastructure. Discussions centred on how Ontario’s “One Project, One Process” initiative could accelerate permitting while maintaining environmental standards and respecting Indigenous rights and local interests.

NFN brings an extensive network of First Nation–owned and community-partnered businesses that can support project advancement as technical work and permitting progress. These relationships offer Volta access to a skilled workforce, logistics expertise, and essential local services throughout the development stages of the Project.

ECONOMIC RECONCILIATION FRAMEWORK

Minister Rickford was briefed on the Project’s strategic location, its suite of critical minerals and the ongoing community engagement. This site visit represents practical progress in economic reconciliation, moving beyond consultation to examine specific pathways for NFN participation in project economics.

For Volta, the ministerial engagement underscores provincial recognition of Springer’s strategic potential within Canada’s domestic rare earth supply chain. With rare earth elements largely sourced from outside North America, these supply-chain vulnerabilities remain a critical issue that governments and end-users are actively working to mitigate.

President and CEO, Kerem Usenmez commented, “The Minister’s engagement, together with our ongoing collaboration with Nipissing First Nation, underscores the strategic importance of advancing a domestic rare earth and gallium project in Ontario. With strong Indigenous partnerships, established infrastructure, and favourable geology, Springer is well-positioned as we de-risk the Project through exploration and permitting. We appreciate the support and regulatory clarity provided through Ontario’s One Project, One Process framework and look forward to continued collaboration as the project advances.”

Nipissing First Nation Chief Cathy Stevens commented, “This Project presents a significant opportunity for Nipissing First Nation, and it is essential that our perspectives guide every stage of its development. We appreciate the commitment to open dialogue and collaboration, and we will continue to advance opportunities that create economic growth for our members while protecting the lands and waters that sustain us.”

Minister Greg Rockford commented, “Thankful for the opportunity to join Chief Stevens in visiting Volta’s Springer Rare Earth Project, which is quite the find. The ongoing partnership with Nipissing First Nation demonstrates economic reconciliation in action, ensuring resources are developed responsibly while delivering meaningful economic opportunities for First Nations.”

Figure 3. Volta’s CEO Kerem Usenmez explaining the mineralization on core sample from the recently completed drilling to Minister Rickford and NFN Chief Cathy Stevens.

ABOUT NIPISSING FIRST NATION

Nipissing First Nation is classified as an urban reserve and is located on the north shore of Lake Nipissing, approximately 320 kilometres north of Toronto. NFN’s land base spans over 30 kilometres between the City of North Bay to the east and the Municipality of West Nipissing to the west. NFN has 11 communities distributed across the Nipissing land base: Garden Village, Veteran’s Lane, Mosquito Creek, Jocko Point, Paradise Point, Meadowside, Beaucage Subdivision, Beaucage Village, Serenity Lane, Yellek, and Duchesnay. The people of NFN, known as the Nbisiing Nishinaabeg, are of Ojibway and Algonquin descent and have lived in the area of Lake Nipissing since time immemorial.

More info on the NFN Values can be found at: https://nfn.ca/mission-vision-values/.

ABOUT VOLTA METALS LTD.

Volta Metals Ltd. (CSE: VLTA) (FSE: D0W) is a mineral exploration company based in Toronto, Ontario, focused on rare earths, gallium, lithium, cesium, and tantalum. It owns, has optioned and is currently exploring a critical minerals portfolio of rare earths, gallium, lithium, cesium, and tantalum projects in Ontario, one of the world’s most prolific and emerging hard-rock critical mineral districts. To learn more about Volta and its Springer and Aki Projects, please visit www.voltametals.ca.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

For further information, contact:

Kerem Usenmez, President & CEO
Tel: 416.919.9060
Email: info@voltametals.ca
Website: www.voltametals.ca

IBF5