Mr. Scott Monteith reports

AVALON ADVANCED MATERIALS APPOINTS CHRISTOPHER SENYK AS VICE PRESIDENT, CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT TO ADVANCE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS & STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT

Avalon Advanced Materials Inc. has appointed Christopher Senyk as vice-president, corporate development.

In this role, Mr. Senyk will support Avalon's corporate strategy, strategic partnership development, commercial engagement and business development initiatives as the company advances its critical minerals portfolio. His responsibilities will include supporting financing opportunities, promoting the vertical integration of Ontario's lithium supply chain, offtake and supply discussions, customer relationships, government engagement, and broader strategic growth initiatives across Avalon's lithium, rare earth elements and critical minerals platform.

Mr. Senyk brings a strong record of strategic development and commercial execution across global industrial and specialty materials businesses, including leadership contributions to Rio Tinto's battery materials and borates strategy. His experience spans specialty chemicals, energy storage, lithium and mineral products, with prior roles at Celanese Corp., FMC Corp.'s lithium business, Livent Corp. and within the specialty chemicals consulting sector.

Based in Chicago, Mr. Senyk will also support Avalon's expanded U.S. market engagement, including direct interaction with prospective customers, strategic partners, government stakeholders and industry participants across battery materials, defence, clean technology and broader critical minerals supply chains.

Mr. Senyk brings a proven ability to execute customer-focused marketing strategies and advance product innovation, supported by a diverse career spanning finance, sales, supply chain, strategic marketing and commercial development.

"Chris joins Avalon at an important stage in the company's evolution as we advance our critical minerals platform from technical development toward commercial partnerships, customer engagement and strategic financing," said Scott Monteith, president and chief executive officer of Avalon. "His experience across battery materials, specialty chemicals, lithium, borates and global industrial markets is highly relevant to Avalon's portfolio and the customers we are seeking to serve. With Chris based in Chicago, we will also be better positioned to engage directly with U.S. customers, strategic partners, government stakeholders and capital providers as we work to build secure North American supply chains for lithium, rare earth elements and other critical materials."

Mr. Senyk's appointment further strengthens Avalon's leadership team as the company continues to advance its feasibility-stage projects, deepen strategic partnerships, and position its asset portfolio to support secure and sustainable North American critical minerals supply chains.

About Avalon Advanced Materials Inc.

Avalon Advanced Materials is a Canadian critical minerals company focused on advancing lithium and rare earth elements -- two of the fastest-growing segments of the global energy transition. The company is developing strategic assets to participate in high-growth markets and support the buildout of secure North American supply chains. Avalon is advancing the Nechalacho rare earth elements and zirconium project in the Northwest Territories, which contains all light and heavy rare earth elements, as well as yttrium, zirconium, tantalum and niobium -- critical minerals used in advanced technologies across the communications, defence, advanced technologies and energy sectors. The company is also focused on vertically integrating the Ontario lithium supply chain through the development of Lake Superior Lithium Inc., Ontario's first mid-stream lithium hydroxide processing facility, located in Thunder Bay. This facility is expected to serve as a cornerstone of North America's integrated battery materials supply chain, transforming Northern Ontario lithium into essential inputs for transportation, grid storage and advanced manufacturing.

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