Mr. Darrin Campbell reports

NAMIBIA CRITICAL METALS APPOINTS VICE PRESIDENT, METALLURGY TO ADVANCE LOFDAL HEAVY RARE EARTHS PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

Namibia Critical Metals Inc. has appointed Niels Verbaan, PEng, MEng, MSc, FCIM, as vice-president, metallurgy, responsible for leading metallurgical development of the company's Lofdal heavy rare-earth project in Namibia.

Mr. Verbaan is a recognized leader in hydrometallurgical process development, with over 25 years of experience advancing complex metallurgical flowsheets, from concept, through pilot scale and feasibility. Mr. Verbaan has overseen many REE (rare-earth element) projects through all study phases (PEA, PFS and FS). He most recently served as senior director, technical services (hydrometallurgy) at SGS Lakefield, the world's leading metallurgical testing, inspection and certification company. Mr. Verbaan's last day at SGS is May 8, and he transitions to Namibia on May 11.

In this role, Mr. Verbaan will oversee all metallurgical testwork, flowsheet development, pilot programs and process optimization for Lofdal, with a focus on maximizing recovery of critical heavy rare-earth elements, particularly dysprosium (Dy) and terbium (Tb), and delivering a robust, scalable process suitable for downstream separation.

Darrin Campbell, president of Namibia Critical Metals, commented:

"We are very pleased to welcome Niels to Namibia Critical Metals at a pivotal stage in the advancement of the Lofdal project.

"Niels brings a rare combination of deep rare-earth expertise and hands-on execution experience. He has been directly involved in the metallurgical development of many of the world's leading rare-earth projects -- including Lofdal -- and has a proven track record in metallurgical flowsheet design, optimization of pilot plant operations and process audits of complex hydrometallurgical systems.

"His appointment materially strengthens our ability to deliver a robust, financeable DFS and positions Lofdal to advance toward development with a high degree of technical confidence, in close collaboration with our Japanese partners. This is an important step in unlocking the full value of Lofdal as a future supplier of dysprosium and terbium to global magnet supply chains."

About Mr. Verbaan

Mr. Verbaan holds master's degrees in mining engineering (Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands) and hydrometallurgy (McGill University) and has over 25 years of experience in the minerals industry. His experience includes hydrometallurgical process development across rare-earth and critical mineral projects globally, including involvement in testwork programs for numerous advanced rare-earth deposits such as Lofdal, Foxtrot, Strange Lake, Nechalacho, Wicheeda Lake, Mountain Pass and Serra Verde. Mr. Verbaan has authored over 50 technical papers and presentations and holds three patents related to the processing of rare-earth elements, rare metals and seabed minerals.

His expertise includes:

• Design, construction and operation of complex hydrometallurgical pilot plants with strong interest and focus on rare-earth elements;
• Solvent extraction and separation technologies across multiple critical metals systems;
• Due diligence and independent technical review of metallurgical flowsheets;
• Development of processing routes for rare earths, scandium, niobium and battery materials (nickel, cobalt, manganese, vanadium, et cetera).

Mr. Verbaan is a professional engineer (Ontario), fellow of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum (CIM), and a recipient of the MetSoc Sherritt Hydrometallurgy Award. He currently serves as the second vice-president of MetSoc (Metallurgical Society of CIM).

About Namibia Critical Metals Inc.

Namibia Critical Metals is developing the Tier 1 heavy rare-earth project, Lofdal, a globally significant deposit of the heavy rare-earth metals dysprosium and terbium. Demand for these critical metals used in permanent magnets for electric vehicles, wind turbines and other electronics is driven by innovations linked to energy and technology transformations. The geopolitical risks associated with sourcing many of these metals have become a repeated concern for manufacturers and end users. Namibia is a proven and stable mining jurisdiction.

The Lofdal project is fully permitted with a 25-year mining licence and is under a joint venture agreement with Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC). Toyota Tsusho will join the Lofdal project as part of JOGMEC's ownership interest (announced on March 17, 2026).

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