Star Metro - Meta Critical Minerals Provides a Corporate Update and Target Milestones for 2026

2026 Strategic Objectives

Establish Meta as a U.S.-aligned critical minerals developer by advancing two complementary Wyoming assets, Arcadia and Lake Owen, toward resource definition and feasibility. In addition, deepen engagement with U.S. government, military and industry stakeholders who are urgently seeking domestic sources of zircon, titanium, rare earth elements, scandium, and vanadium, all of which are designated as critical minerals by the U.S. Government and have identified applications in aerospace & defence, nuclear energy, and advanced manufacturing supply chains where domestic sourcing is a stated national security priority.

Target generating Meta's first production revenue and cash flow - moving the Tsagaan Zalaa silica project in Mongolia through its final permitting stage and into production, securing offtake agreements with regional customers, which could mark the Company's transition from developer to operator with its first cash-flowing asset. Tsagaan Zalaa is the first step in building an operating platform that management intends to grow across its broader portfolio of development-stage assets.

Advance one of Canada's most strategically positioned silica projects toward a production decision - Meta has engaged Quad Consulting Group, a firm with extensive experience across the solar, semiconductor, advanced manufacturing, and industrial materials sectors, as well as established relationships within public-sector funding and industrial policy frameworks (see news release dated Feb 11, 2026), to help develop a vertically integrated strategy for the Table Mountain Project. The strategy is intended to pair the project's high-purity silica resource with potential midstream processing and downstream manufacturing opportunities through strategic joint ventures. The Company is actively engaging with both federal and provincial governments and stakeholders, with the objective of advancing the Table Mountain Project towards permitting and production with potential government participation and support forming a key component of the project's broader financing and development strategy.

Yannis Tsitos, President of the Company, commented: "The next 12 months are a pivotal period for the Company, and Meta enters it well-financed, with a strong balance sheet, no debt and a clean capital structure. Across our four projects in Wyoming, British Columbia, and Mongolia, we have a clear pipeline of catalysts ahead of us across our multi-asset portfolio - resource definition, metallurgical work, a Preliminary Economic Assessment, a Pre-Feasibility Study, and first production - each of which represents a meaningful opportunity to drive value creation for our shareholders."

For a detailed summary of the Company's four projects and specific targeted milestones for each, see below.

Arcadia - Wyoming, U.S.A. Zirconium · Titanium · Rare Earth Elements

Arcadia is an advanced-stage exploration project comprising approximately 3,740 acres of land claims and state leases in Wyoming, hosting two near-surface, open-pittable heavy mineral sand deposits - Grass Creek and Dugout Creek. Grass Creek reports average zircon grades of approximately 2.2% ZrSiO₄, more than three times the global average, and the deposits host meaningful concentrations of monazite, a source of rare earth elements with applications in magnet production, defence-grade materials and nuclear energy. Substantial historical drilling, metallurgical testing and engineering work by independent consultants have already been completed, and the Company now intends to advance the project towards a formal NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate. Subject to the results of ongoing technical studies and confirmatory metallurgical testing, management intends to progress towards a Pre-Feasibility Study and Environmental Impact Assessment.

Key 2026 Milestones: NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate and Technical Report | Bulk Sample Metallurgical Program | Pre-Feasibility Study and commencement of Environmental Impact Assessment study, subject to metallurgical results

Lake Owen - Wyoming, U.S.A. Vanadium · Titanium · Scandium · Gallium

Lake Owen is a large layered mafic-ultramafic intrusion covering 1,430 hectares located 55 kilometres from Laramie, Wyoming. Two maiden scouting holes have returned encouraging results, including high-grade scandium and gallium values alongside targeted titanium and vanadium mineralization. Scandium has no current primary mine production in the United States and is sourced almost entirely from China and Russia - a supply chain vulnerability that has attracted significant attention from U.S. defence and aerospace procurement authorities. Management was recently invited to attend a research day at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where preliminary discussions were held with faculty and researchers regarding potential collaboration on Meta's Wyoming projects and alignment with U.S. military and government priorities for critical minerals. The Company has submitted drilling plans for 15 to 18 RC holes and intends to mobilize later this summer or early fall, subject to receipt of a drill permit.

Key 2026 Milestones: RC drill program of 15-18 holes, subject to permit receipt | Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate, subject to drill results.

Tsagaan Zalaa - South Gobi, Mongolia Silica (Silicon)

Tsagaan Zalaa received its Mining Permit from Mongolia's Natural Resources Ministry in October 2025. The final Environmental Permit - the last remaining administrative requirement before mining can commence - is pending, and management is advancing all pre-production logistics in parallel, including contract mining, crushing, storage, and transportation arrangements, and offtake discussions with regional stakeholders. Subject to receipt of the Environmental Permit, management intends to initiate production with on-site crushing infrastructure, and capacity expansion is planned for a subsequent phase.

Key 2026 Milestones: Final Environmental Permit | Production initiation, subject to permit receipt | Offtake agreement execution | On-site crushing facility and capacity ramp | First sales, subject to production and offtakes.

Table Mountain - British Columbia, Canada Silica (Silicon)

Table Mountain, located near Golden, British Columbia, hosts a maiden NI 43-101-compliant Mineral Resource Estimate of 56,945,602 tonnes at an average grade of 98.91% SiO₂ (see news release June 30, 2025) with very low impurity levels, and benefits from direct highway and rail access on Canada's main east-west transportation corridor. The project's quarry-style mineralization requires minimal capital infrastructure relative to conventional mine development, which management believes could support a comparatively short path from a production decision to first output. Meta has engaged Quad Consulting Group to develop a vertically integrated strategy pairing the project's high-purity silica supply with midstream processing and downstream manufacturing joint ventures. The Company has filed for a drill permit, commenced baseline environmental and archaeological studies, and initiated First Nations and community consultations, with Preliminary Economic Assessment and Pre-Feasibility work expected to commence upon receipt of the drill permit. The Company is also actively engaging with federal and provincial governments and other stakeholders to align the project with Canada's Critical Minerals Strategy and secure available funding support.

Key 2026 Milestones: Diamond drill campaign of approximately 2,000-2,500 metres, subject to drilling permit | Updated Mineral Resource Estimate | Preliminary Economic Assessment | Baseline environmental and archaeological studies | Deepen relationships with government and Indigenous stakeholders.

QUALIFIED PERSON

The technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Ted Vander Wart, P.Geo., a consultant to the Company and a qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD,

Rana Vig | CEO and Director
Telephone: 604-218-4766
[email protected]

About Meta Critical Minerals Inc.

Meta Critical Minerals Inc. is a well-funded, publicly listed mining exploration company focused on building shareholder value through the acquisition, exploration, and development of strategically located critical mineral assets. The Company is advancing a portfolio of projects targeting silica (silicon), zircon (zirconium), titanium, scandium, vanadium, and rare earth elements, commodities that are essential to advanced manufacturing, defence systems, green power generation and electrification, and emerging technologies. Meta's assets are located in jurisdictions characterized by strong and growing demand for critical minerals, spanning Canada, U.S.A. and Central-East Asia. The Company's strategy emphasizes near-term production potential, disciplined capital allocation, and the development of assets capable of supporting a transition to cash-flow-generating operations, with the objective of delivering sustainable long-term value to shareholders, host communities, and regional stakeholders.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the Company's strategic objectives for 2026; planned exploration, drilling, metallurgical, environmental and engineering programs; the timing and receipt of regulatory approvals, permits and authorizations; the completion of mineral resource estimates, preliminary economic assessments, pre-feasibility studies and other technical studies; the advancement of the Arcadia, Lake Owen, Tsagaan Zalaa and Table Mountain projects; the commencement of production and generation of revenue and cash flow from the Tsagaan Zalaa project; the execution of offtake agreements; the development of strategic partnerships, joint ventures and vertically integrated business opportunities; the availability of government funding, incentives or support; and the Company's ability to create shareholder value and transition toward cash-flow-generating operations.

Forward-looking statements are often identified by words such as "anticipates," "believes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "targets," "estimates," "may," "will," "could," "would," "potential," "subject to," and similar expressions. These statements are based on a number of assumptions that management believes are reasonable as of the date of this news release, including assumptions regarding the timely receipt of permits and approvals, successful exploration and development activities, favorable market conditions, availability of financing, access to contractors and equipment, commodity prices, and the continued support of government agencies, Indigenous communities and other stakeholders.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such risks include, without limitation, delays in obtaining permits or regulatory approvals; exploration and development risks; uncertainty of mineral resource estimates; metallurgical and technical risks; environmental risks; changes in commodity prices; availability of financing; inflationary pressures and cost increases; risks relating to government policies, incentives and funding programs; Indigenous consultation processes; geopolitical risks; and general economic, market and business conditions.

There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this news release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

SOURCE: Meta Critical Minerals Inc.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

P.Graham--SMC