Mr. Murray Nye reports

NORTH AMERICAN NIOBIUM TO FLY AIRBORNE SURVEY OVER FOUR QUEBEC PROPERTIES

North American Niobium and Critical Minerals Corp. is continuing to advance multiple targets across its district-scale portfolio in Quebec. 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 and niobium mineralization. As well, satellite-derived radon and helium soil-gas estimates, prepared by independent specialist consultants using multisensor remote sensing data, are being integrated into the company's target generation workflow.

Drilling is under way at the Bardy and Blanchette properties, where approximately 1,500 metres are 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 have been drilled at Seigneurie, where the winter program is complete.

"Our 2026 program is on track, and our data pipeline is filling out as we hoped," said Murray Nye, North American Niobium's chief executive officer. "The mid-June airborne radiometric and magnetic survey, combined with the radon and helium soil-gas data sets 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 dike 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 dike 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-square-kilometre intrusion of the Veillette intrusive suite, associated with one of the largest Nb-REE bottom-lake-sediment anomalies in the region (Quebec government geochemical data).
  • At Bardy SE, drilling will test the Toad intrusive suite (dated at 981.6 million years), closely comparable in age with the Crevier alkaline complex (approximately 957 million years), 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 data set.
• Local resources mobilized: The current drilling phase is being carried out with the support of local Atikamekw service providers.
• Bardy and Blanchette drilling under way: Approximately 1,500 metres at each of the Bardy and Blanchette properties are planned, targeting REE- and Nb-bearing pegmatite dike and vein systems.
• Seigneurie drill program complete: Approximately 2,000 metres have been 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

North American Niobium'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 under way);
• 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 data sets;
• Flexible final tranche: approximately 2,500 metres retained, to be allocated to the highest-priority targets identified from the combined data set.

Two mineralization styles across the portfolio

The company's Quebec 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-square-kilometre 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 Quebec government survey data.

At Bardy SE, drilling will test the Toad intrusive suite -- dated at 981.6 million years ago, comparable in age with the 957 million years ago Crevier alkaline complex -- located in the Lac-Saint-Jean region, which hosts the multimillion-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.

Dike- and vein-style targets

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

At Bardy, historical work indicates granitic pegmatite dikes ranging from approximately 40 centimetres to four metres in width distributed along an approximately seven-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 dike 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. Mallory as a strategic adviser 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 continuing 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 adviser 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 Corp., 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 Mr. Nye, chief executive officer 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 adviser 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.

About North American Niobium and Critical Minerals Corp.

North American Niobium is a North American mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of precious, base and critical mineral assets. Its portfolio includes the Silver Lake property in British Columbia's Omineca mining division and a district-scale land package in Quebec's Grenville province. The Quebec properties host rare earth element, niobium and nickel-copper occurrences, expanding the company's footprint into critical minerals that are strategically important for energy and defence applications.

Qualified person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 (Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects). Clyde McMillan, PGeo, a consultant to the company and a qualified person as defined under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained herein. Mr. McMillan is non-independent of the company as an officer and shareholder. Laboratory assays for the Seigneurie program are pending as of the date of this release. Sample preparation, security and analytical procedures follow industry standard quality assurance/quality control practice including the insertion of certified reference materials, blanks and field duplicates. Results will be reported once received and QA/QC review is complete.

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