Star Metro - Apex Mobilizes Drill Rig and Commences 2026 Exploration Program at the Cap Critical Minerals Project

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / June 30, 2026 / Apex Critical Metals Corp. (CSE:APXC)(OTCQX:APXCF)(FSE:KL9) ("Apex" or the "Company"), a mineral exploration company focused on advancing its Rift Rare Earth Project in Nebraska, USA and additional strategic critical mineral projects in Canada, is pleased to announce the mobilization of a drill rig to its 100%-owned Cap Critical Minerals Project (the "Cap Project"), located 85 km northeast of Prince George, British Columbia. One NQ diamond drill rig from Proterra Drilling Ltd. has mobilized to site with drilling now underway.

The 2026 program is expected to include four (4) drillholes totaling approximately 1,200 metres and is designed around two principal objectives: testing the large buried geophysical anomaly to the west of the 2025 drill corridor and following up on the Company's 2025 niobium discovery at CAP25-006.

2026 Drill Program Objectives

Objective 1 - Testing the Magnetic Anomaly
A high-resolution airborne geophysical survey completed in November 2025 defined a strong magnetic high measuring approximately 2.2 km × 1.8 km, located to the southeast of the 2025 drilling area (Figure 1, See News Release Dated November 12, 2025). This large-scale anomaly has been tested by only a single historical (2017) drillhole that did not reach the interpreted target depth. The 2026 program includes two deeper holes designed to penetrate the core of this anomaly for the first time, with the objective of determining whether it reflects a deeper carbonatite body prospective for niobium and rare earth mineralization.

Objective 2 - Extending the CAP25-006 Niobium Discovery
The 2025 exploration program confirmed a significant niobium discovery in drillhole CAP25-006, which returned 124.5 m at 0.27% Nb₂O₅, encompassing a higher-grade interval of 36 m at 0.59% Nb₂O₅ that included 10 m at 1.08% Nb₂O₅ (See News Release Dated August 27, 2025). This discovery, situated within a 1.8 km long niobium mineralized trend (See News Release Dated November 12, 2024), remains open in multiple directions. The 2026 program includes two planned follow-up holes designed to test for extensions of this mineralization along strike and at depth.

Image 1. ProTerra drill rig mobilized on the first drill pad at the CAP Project, central northeastern British Columbia, Canada.

Figure 1. Map showing Total Magnetic Intensity (TMI) relative to historical and 2025 drillholes. Apex Critical Metals 2026.

The 2026 program is fully permitted under the Company's existing Multi-Year Area-Based (MYAB) permit. Assay results will be reported as they are received and interpreted.

Qualified Person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Nathan Schmidt, P. Geo. (EGBC License 48336), a Qualified Person under NI 43-101 standards of disclosure for mineral projects. Mr. Schmidt is a Geologist with Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd., the consulting firm engaged by Apex Critical Metals Corp. to conduct and oversee all of the Company's exploration work. Mr. Schmidt has verified all scientific and technical data disclosed in this news release.

About Apex Critical Metals Corp. (CSE:APXC)(OTCQX:APXCF)(FWB:KL9)

Apex Critical Metals Corp. is a Canadian exploration company focused on advancing rare earth element (REE) and niobium projects that support the growing demand for critical and strategic metals across the United States and Canada. The Company's flagship Rift Project, located within the highly prospective Elk Creek Carbonatite Complex in Nebraska, U.S.A., hosts extensive rare earth rights surrounding one of North America's most advanced niobium deposits. Two historical drillholes located within the 700 m corridor of interest returned broad intervals of >2.00% REO, with higher grade (>3.00% REO) intervals within. The Company's 2026 drilling has continued to demonstrate this grade profile and have expanded the footprint of the high-grade mineralization over approximately 380 m from the historical drillholes. Additionally, drilling has delineated a new horizon ("Neo Zone") of strongly elevated NdPr beneath the high-grade material with NdPr distributions between 30-50%.

In Canada, Apex continues to advance its 100%-owned Cap Project, located 85 kilometres northeast of Prince George, British Columbia. The 2025 drill program confirmed an emerging niobium discovery with 0.59% Nb₂O₅ over 36 metres, including 1.08% Nb₂O₅ over 10 metres, within a 1.8-kilometre-long niobium trend. The Cap Project continues to demonstrate strong potential for niobium mineralization within a large and previously unrecognized carbonatite system.

With a growing portfolio of critical mineral projects in both Canada and the United States, Apex Critical Metals is strategically positioned to help strengthen domestic supply chains for the minerals essential to advanced technologies, clean energy, and national security. Apex is publicly listed in Canada on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) under the symbol APXC and quoted on the OTCQX market in the United States under the symbol APXCF, and in Germany on the Borse Frankfurt under the symbol KL9 and/or WKN: A40CCQ.

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On Behalf of the Board of Directors
APEX CRITICAL METALS CORP.,
Sean Charland
Chief Executive Officer
Tel: 604.681.1568
Email: [email protected]

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION:

This news release may contain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Forward-looking statements in this news release include (without limitation) statements regarding the Company's planned drill program and any subsequent drill programs and statements regarding the Company's US-based prospective assets (more particularly described above), including the potential for additional acquisitions and the potential for exploration, and statements regarding the potential for future exploration and drilling to confirm the source of magnetic anomalies. Forward-looking statements are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. Risks that could change or prevent these events, activities or developments from coming to fruition include: the Company's properties are at an early stage of development and no current mineral resources or reserves have been identified by the Company thereof, that we may not be able to fully finance any additional exploration on the Company's properties; that even if we are able to raise capital, costs for exploration activities may increase such that we may not have sufficient funds to pay for such exploration or processing activities; the timing and content of any future work programs; geological interpretations based on drilling that may change with more detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumptions based on limited test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that, with further test work, may not be comparable; testing of our process may not prove successful or samples derived from our properties may not yield positive results, and even if such tests are successful or initial sample results are positive, the economic and other outcomes may not be as expected; the anticipated market demand for REE and other minerals may not be as expected; the availability of labour and equipment to undertake future exploration work and testing activities; geopolitical risks which may result in market and economic instability. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements herein are made as of the date hereof, and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE: Apex Critical Metals Corp.

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N.Fournier--SMC