Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 18, 2025) - CleanTech Vanadium Mining Corp. (TSXV: CTV) (OTCQB: CTVFF) ("CleanTech" or "the Company") announces that, through its 100%-owned subsidiary, it has acquired from arms-lengths third-party vendor a package of highly prospective mineral rights (the "New Illinois Fluorspar Properties") which surround the Hicks Dome rare-earth fluorspar deposit in Illinois' Pope and Hardin Counties. The total purchase price of US$68,700 has been paid to the vendor.

CleanTech's New Illinois Fluorspar Properties consist of 37 mineral rights parcels (each a "Property") totaling 1,605 acres across Empire, Interstate, Hobbs Creek, Hicks Dome, Cave-in-Rock, and Lusk Creek subdistricts. The New Illinois Fluorspar Properties have nearly doubled Cleantech's existing Illinois Fluorspar mineral rights holdings to a total of 2,846 acres between Pope and Hardin Counties.

CleanTech's total mineral rights holdings now stand at over 17,550 acres (14,704 acres in Kentucky and 2,846 acres in Illinois) within the Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District ("IKFD"). CleanTech's mineral properties in the IKFD have extensive exploration (over 745 drill holes) and production histories and are strategically positioned along the major mineralized fault systems that produced approximately 9 million tons of historical fluorspar between approximately 1914 to 1995 in Illinois alone^[1]. This accounted for 90% of all US fluorspar production during that time period.

John Lee, CEO of CleanTech comments: "CleanTech's mineral properties in the Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District are now larger than Manhattan in size.

Fluorspar is a critical mineral and key input in nuclear enrichment, lithium batteries, and semiconductor manufacturing. The United States today relies entirely on foreign fluorspar imports from China and elsewhere to power its economy. CleanTech's fluorspar projects represent more than an attractive mining investment—they are key to America's mineral independence.

CleanTech is looking forward to partnering with America's industrial fluorspar users and federal and state agencies to accelerate project development."

In reviewing detailed maps and available historic data, CleanTech is also very intrigued by the potential discovery of rare earth elements ("REE") and other trace elements such as germanium given properties' proximity to the Hicks Dome deposit. Hicks Dome is particularly enriched in heavy REE such as dysprosium (Dy), scandium (Sc) and yttrium (Y)^[2] required for magnets and other military applications.

Furthermore, a number of the acquired properties directly extend the historic Barnett mine area under CleanTech's existing mineral holdings in the Stewart subdistrict in Pope County, one of the IKFD's most productive operations. The Barnett Mine complex operated from approximately 1950 to 1983 and achieved notable production through shrinkage-stoping methods on the West and Barnett veins^[3]. The operation reached a total depth of 240 meters (787 feet) and maintained working levels accessing veins 7 to 8 feet wide composed of coarsely crystalline calcite containing blocks of country rock and pockets of fluorite, galena, and sphalerite.

Historical Data Disclaimer

The key assumptions, parameters, and methods used to prepare the historical resource or production estimates cited herein are not available. The Company has not reviewed or validated the historic data, and caution should be taken as a qualified person has not conducted sufficient work to classify these historical resource estimates as a current mineral resource and the Company is not treating them as a current mineral resource. The historic resource does not demonstrate economic viability and should not be relied on. The Company considers the historical estimate relevant as it indicates significant fluorspar mineralization within the project area; however, the reliability is uncertain given the age of the data, and differences between historical estimation methods and current Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") Definition Standards. The historical resource categories were defined prior to the adoption of current CIM Definition Standards and differ materially from current categories such as 'Inferred Mineral Resource.' The historical estimates do not meet current CIM requirements for mineral resource classification due to: insufficient verification, lack of documented estimation methodology, and absence of QA/QC protocols. Steps to verify and upgrade the historical estimates to current CIM standards include (i) compilation and validation of all historical drill data, (ii) twin drilling of select historical holes, (iii) confirmatory drilling in key areas of mineralization, (iv) updated geological modeling, and (v) preparation of a new mineral resource estimate in accordance with NI 43-101.

Qualified Person

The technical contents of this news release have been prepared under the supervision of Carlos Zamora, a member of the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG) and a Certified Professional Geologist (CPG) since 2024. Mr. Zamora has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Zamora is an independent qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About CleanTech Vanadium Mining Corp.

CleanTech is a mining company focused on critical mineral resources in the USA. The Company has an option to acquire more than 17,550 acres of mineral rights with historic Fluorspar resources across multiple projects in the Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District. CleanTech also owns a 100% interest in the Gibellini Vanadium Mine Project in Nevada.

Further information on CleanTech can be found at www.cleantechvanadium.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is generally identifiable by use of the words "believes," "may," "plans," "will," "anticipates," "intends," "could", "estimates", "expects", "forecasts", "projects" and similar expressions, and the negative of such expressions. Such forward-looking information, which reflects management's expectations regarding CleanTech's future growth, results of operations, performance, business prospects and opportunities, is based on certain factors and assumptions and involves known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information.

Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management of CleanTech at the date the statements are made and are based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of CleanTech, there is no assurance they will prove to be correct and are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking information involves significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as a guarantee of future performance, events or results, and may not be indicative of whether such events or results will actually be achieved. A number of risks and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results discussed in the forward-looking information, including but not limited to: changes in operating plans; ability to secure sufficient financing to advance the Company's project; conditions impacting the Company's ability to mine at the project, such as unfavorable weather conditions, development of a mine plan, maintaining existing permits and receiving any new permits required for the project, and other conditions impacting mining generally; maintaining cordial business relations with strategic partners and contractual counter-parties; meeting regulatory requirements and changes thereto; risks inherent to mineral resource estimation, including uncertainty as to whether mineral resources will be further developed into mineral reserves; political risk in the jurisdictions where the Company's projects are located; commodity price variation; and general market, industry and economic conditions. Additional risk factors are set out in the Company's latest annual and interim management's discussion and analysis and annual information form (AIF), available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions by management as of the date of this news release, and there can be no assurance that actual results will be consistent with any forward-looking information included herein. Readers are cautioned that all forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information in this news release to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date of this news release, except as required by applicable securities laws.

^[1] Denny, F.B., W.J. Nelson, J.R. Breeden, and R.C. Lillie, 2020, Mines in the Illinois portion of the Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District: Illinois State Geological Survey, Circular 604, 73 p. and map.
^[2] https://isgs.illinois.edu/research/critical-minerals/hicks-dome/.
^[3] Barnett Mine (West Vein Mine; Barnett Complex Mine; Parkinson; Parkinson), Stewart Mining Sub-District, Pope County, Illinois, USA. https://www.mindat.org/loc-8566.html.

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