Perth, Australia, Sep 9, 2026 - (ABN Newswire) - Technical review underway as Lodestar Minerals Ltd (ASX:LSR) (FRA:3EJ) (OTCMKTS:LSMLF) advances its US rare earth strategy amid increasing US focus on securing domestic critical mineral supply chains.
HIGHLIGHTS: ADVACING REE PROJECT IN US
-Lodestar CEO and Executive Director Coraline Blaud on-site with LSR's geological team to commence a technical review of the 100%-owned Virgin Mountain Heavy Rare-Earth Element ("HREE") Project in Arizona.
- LSR team is reviewing the geology, structural setting and recently reported high-grade rock-chip results from Virgin Mountain as Lodestar prepares the next phase of exploration.
- Rock-chip sampling from July 2026 has returned impressive results including 14.68% TREO, including 0.76%Dy2O3 and containing 59% HREO, together with further samples returning 1.48% TREO containing 54% HREO and 1.39% TREO containing 57% HREO.
- Next phase of exploration at Virgin Mountain will focus on advancing the understanding of the xenotime-bearing HREE mineralised shear trend mapped over 3km following the Company increasing its Virgin Mountain landholding by ~40% in July 2026 to 661 acres across 32 mining claims.
- On-ground review to advance Virgin Mountain towards potential maidendrilling, with planned high-resolution radiometric surveying and ground-truthing to define and prioritise targets.
- In parallel, Lodestar is undertaking an early-stage review of additional US rare-earth opportunities identified through a broaderassessment of prospective US REE belts completed in April 2026 by the Company's geological team, including Exploration Manager Finn Hunter and specialist consultants Robin Wilson and Dr Ross Chandler.
- Review supported by the backdrop of a strengthening U.S. critical-minerals policy. On 20 July 2026, US President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14415, Securing America's Defence Supply Chains and Ensuring Domestic Acquisition of Critical Materials, which includes measures directed toward strengthening domestic and allied critical-material supply chains and accelerating qualification of new sources and materials for U.S. defence supply chains.
Lodestar Minerals Ltd (ASX:LSR) (FRA:3EJ) (OTCMKTS:LSMLF) announced that CEO and Executive Director Coraline Blaud is currently in the United States with members of the Company's geological team, to initiate an on-ground technical and strategic review of the Company's Virgin Mountain HREE Project in Arizona, and its broader US rare earth strategy.
The site visit follows strong progress at Virgin Mountain during 2026, including high-grade HREE rockchip results, field mapping and expansion of the project area to secure the interpreted mineralised corridor.
The Company's current work is focused on integrating the results of previous exploration with direct field observations to refine the next phase of exploration and assess the broader strategic opportunity presented by Virgin Mountain.
Management Commentary
Commenting on the field visit, Lodestar CEO & Executive Director Coraline Blaud said:
"As a geologist, being on the ground with the technical team provides an important opportunity to review Virgin Mountain directly in the context of the latest results and the exploration work completed over the past year. Virgin Mountain has a strong technical foundation, and the next phase of work will focus on refining our geological understanding, particularly mapping the mineralised trend beneath cover and defining the highest-priority targets for follow-up exploration.
The recent high-grade HREE rock-chip results provide further encouragement, while the planned geophysical and field programmes are intended to improve our understanding of the structure, continuity and broader scale potential of the system. Our approach remains technically driven, with the objective of integrating geology, geochemistry and geophysics to progressively advance Virgin Mountain toward well-defined drill targets.
Being in the United States has also provided an opportunity to review the target-generation work completed by our specialist rare earth team earlier this year and to assess, on the ground, the potential of additional projects identified through that process. This forms part of Lodestar's broader review of opportunities that could complement Virgin Mountain and strengthen the Company's exposure to strategically important rare-earth elements in the United States."
VIRGIN MOUNTAIN TECHNICAL REVIEW
The Virgin Mountain Project is located in Arizona, US, close to the Nevada border, and is 100% owned by Lodestar.
On the 16th July 2026, Lodestar announced that it had expanded the project area by approximately 40%, from 475 acres toapproximately 661 acres, comprising 32 mining claims, to secure the priority extent of the interpreted HREE-bearing structural corridor identified as a xenotime-bearing, metasomatic-style HREE system. The July 2026 programme returned rock-chip assays, refer to Table 1(*) for Significant Samples.
NEXT PHASE OF EXPLORATION AT VIRGIN MOUNTAIN
Lodestar's current technical review is intended to support planning for the next phase of exploration at Virgin Mountain HREE.
As previously announced, the Company intends to undertake a high-resolution radiometric (U/Th/K) survey across the expanded project area. The objective of the survey is to identify the extension of the targeted mineralised structure beneath areas of limited surfaceexposure 3.
The results of the proposed survey are expected to be integrated with:
- geological and structural mapping;
- existing rock-chip geochemistry;
- ground-based radiometric observations; and
- observations from the current field review.
This integrated dataset will be used to prioritise areas for follow-up field assessment and potential drill targeting. The timing and scale of any drilling programme will depend on completion and interpretation of the proposed explorationwork and applicable permitting requirements.
STRENGTHENING US FOCUS ON CRITICAL MINERAL SECURITY
Lodestar's work at Virgin Mountain is occurring during a period of significant US Government focus on the security of critical-mineral includingrare-earth supply chains. On 20th July 2026, US President Donald Trump issued Executive Order 14415 - "Securing America's Defence Supply Chains and Ensuring Domestic Acquisition of Critical Materials."
The Executive Order established as US policy that critical materials and components required to manufacture, maintain and sustain defence equipment should be sourced domestically or from allied nations. It also directs measures aimed at increasing supply-chain transparency and accelerating the testing and qualification of new sources and materials for defence production.
These developments provide broader strategic context for Lodestar's US rare earth activities.
The Company considers the evolving US policy environment relevant to its assessment of the strategic context for domestic rare-earth exploration but does not attribute any specific economic value to Virgin Mountain as a result of these government initiatives.
REVIEW OF COMPLEMENTARY US RARE EARTH OPPORTUNITIES
Alongside the technical review of Virgin Mountain, Lodestar's geological team has undertaken a broader desktop review of prospective US rare-earth belts and occurrences.
The work has been undertaken with input from Exploration Manager Finn Hunter, Robin Wilson and Dr Ross Chandler, drawing on their geological and rare-earth experience.
During the current US visit, Lodestar is reviewing several potential opportunities identified through this process to determine whether any may complement Virgin Mountain and enhance the Company's exposure to US-based rare-earth exploration.
The Company will make further disclosure in accordance with its continuous disclosure obligations when a potential transaction becomes sufficiently advanced and material to warrant disclosure.
NEXT STEPS
Following completion of the current US review, Lodestar's priorities at Virgin Mountain will include:
- completing the current geological and strategic field review;
- progressing the planned high-resolution radiometric survey;
- integrating geophysical results with mapping, geochemistry and structural interpretation;
- ground-truthing priority targets;
- advancing permitting and drill-site planning where appropriate;
- defining and prioritising targets for potential maiden drilling; and
- continuing the assessment of complementary US rare earth opportunities.
*To view tables and figures included in the announcement, please visit:
https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/OL5JF868
About Lodestar Minerals Ltd:
Lodestar Minerals Limited (ASX:LSM) (OTCMKTS:LSMLF) is an active critical metals, gold and base metals explorer. Lodestar’s projects include the Los Loros Porphyry Cu-Mo-Au and the Three Saints IOCG projects in Chile, the 100% owned Ned’s Creek Gold and Earaheedy projects in Western Australia, and the Virgin Mountain HREE project in USA.
Lodestar also has exposure to lithium via its 27.5M performance rights in ORE Resources (ASX:OR3) who own the Kangaroo Hills and Miriam Projects in Western Australia.
Contact:
Coraline Blaud
Executive Director - Head of Exploration
info@lodestarminerals.com.au
+61 8 9435 320
Source:
Lodestar Minerals Ltd
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