Cleantech Vanadium acquires Pope fluorspar properties

Mr. Ron Espell reports CLEANTECH ACQUIRES 970 ACRES OF MINERAL RIGHTS NEARBY HICKS DOME RARE EARTH AND FLUORSPAR PROJECT IN THE ILLINOIS-KENTUCKY FLUORSPAR DISTRICT Cleantech Vanadium Mining Corp., through its 100-per-cent-owned subsidiary, has entered into a binding option-to-purchase (OTP) agreement with an arm's-length private party to acquire a package of highly prospective mineral rights (the Pope fluorspar properties) near the Hicks Dome deposit in Pope county in southern Illinois. The Pope fluorspar properties consist of 15 mineral rights parcels totalling 970 acres across the Empire subdistrict, Stewart subdistrict and Hobbs Creek subdistrict. Those properties are strategically positioned along the major fault systems that historically controlled mineralization throughout the approximately 1,000-square-mile Illinois-Kentucky fluorspar district (IKFD). Transaction summary Under the OTP executed on Aug. 26, 2025, the vendor agreed to sell to Cleantech the Pope fluorspar properties for a total of $184,000 (U.S.), consisting of: $29,100 (U.S.) upon OTP signing (paid); $42,680 (U.S.) on or before Sept. 1, 2026; $54,320 (U.S.) on or before Sept. 1, 2027; $57,900 (U.S.) on or before Sept. 1, 2028. Empire subdistrict: home to Illinois's premium quality fluorite Cleantech's Empire properties are adjacent to the historic Gaskin mine, located less than three miles west of Hicks Dome, which is estimated to contain fluorspar and additional rare earth element historical resources. The Gaskin operation stands as a testament to the Empire subdistrict's extraordinary mineral wealth, having produced approximately 179,000 raw tons from two parallel veins averaging five feet wide, with bedding replacement mineralized zones extending 35 feet in width. The Gaskin mine's reputation for producing some of the highest-grade and gemstone-quality fluorite in Illinois stems from its unique geological setting. According to ISGS circular 604, the mine's fluorite crystals contained small amounts of rare earth elements (REE) likely derived from the adjacent Hicks Dome, creating distinctively coloured pink cubic fluorite crystals with beautiful phantoms that are "instantly visually recognizable to the avid fluorite collector." Mining operations extended through multiple working levels at depths of 200, 300, 400, 425, 450 and 475 feet, with mineralized material present from the base of the Bethel sandstone down into the Ste. Genevieve limestone. The Empire subdistrict's mineralized veins appear predominantly along normal faults with northeast to east-northeast strikes, potentially representing radial fractures created by the vertical uplift at Hicks Dome or related to extensional forces that created the Dixon Springs graben. The qualified person has been unable to verify the above information and that information is not necessarily indicative to the mineralization on the Pope fluorspar properties. Stewart subdistrict: the Barnett complex legacy The Stewart subdistrict, where Cleantech now holds significant mineral rights, hosted some of the IKFD's most productive and deepest mining operations. The Barnett mine complex, located 0.6 mile from Cleantech's Stewart properties and situated along the same fault, operating from approximately 1950 to 1983, achieved notable production through shrinkage stoping methods on the West and Barnett veins. The operation reached a total depth of 240 metres (787 feet) and maintained working levels accessing veins seven to eight feet wide composed of coarsely crystalline calcite containing blocks of country rock and pockets of fluorite, galena and sphalerite. Mining records indicate the Barnett complex produced an estimated 550,000 tons, while Ozark-Mahoning resource calculations from 1981 estimated historical fluorspar resource exceeding 600,000 tons composed of 40 per cent barite and 20 per cent calcium fluoride (CaF2) on Cleantech's Stewart properties. The Parkinson and Stockton mines also located within the same subdistrict contributed additional production from underground workings targeting barite, calcite, fluorite and sphalerite mineralization. The key assumptions, parameters and methods used to prepare this historical resource estimate are not available. The company has not reviewed or validated the historic data, and caution should be taken as a qualified person has not conducted sufficient work to classify these historical resource estimates as a current mineral resource and the company is not treating them as a current mineral resource. The historical resource does not demonstrate economic viability and should not be relied on. The company considers the historical estimate relevant as it indicates significant fluorspar mineralization within the project area; however, the reliability is uncertain given the age of the data, and differences between historical estimation methods and current Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) definition standards. The historical resource categories were defined prior to the adoption of current CIM definition standards and differ materially from current categories such as inferred mineral resource. The historical estimates do not meet current CIM requirements for mineral resource classification due to: insufficient verification, lack of documented estimation methodology, and absence of quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) protocols. Steps to verify and upgrade the historical estimates to current CIM standards include: (i) compilation and validation of all historical drill data; (ii) twin drilling of select historical holes; (iii) confirmatory drilling in key areas of mineralization; (iv) updated geological modelling; and (v) preparation of a new mineral resource estimate in accordance with National Instrument 43-101. Hobbs Creek subdistrict: the Henson mine achievement The Henson mine within Cleantech's Hobbs Creek properties represents one of the IKFD's most successful and technically challenging operations. Operating during the 1980s, this mine reached a depth of 950 feet to access the Hobbs Creek vein along a normal fault striking northeast and dipping steeply northwest. The operation extracted 112,000 raw tons of white and purple fluorite hosted in breccia zones of sandstone and shale fragments. The mine's success demonstrated the continued viability of deep vein mining in the IKFD, even as easier surface deposits were being exhausted. Illinois-Kentucky fluorspar district: America's source of fluorspar The Illinois-Kentucky fluorspar district extraordinary productivity stems from its unique geological architecture. The IKFD sits within Mississippian-age limestones intersected by northwest-southeast-trending normal faults, creating the perfect structural environment for fluorite mineralization. These steep fault-fill veins, breccia zones and localized carbonate replacements developed along favourable limestone horizons, with mineralized material shoots typically thickening at structural complexities such as fault bends, step-overs and fault-dike intersections. The geological complexity that made the IKFD America's fluorite capital remains intact. Mineralization occurs in four primary deposit types: horizontal bedding replacement deposits; veins along vertical faults and fractures; residual gravel deposits; and fluorite breccia. This diversity offers multiple exploration and development targets across Cleantech's extensive land position of over 8,150 acres. The IKFD's strategic importance extends beyond its historical production record. Its established transportation infrastructure, proximity to industrial consumers and documented production of over 32.5 million tons position it as America's most viable domestic fluorspar source in an increasingly import-dependent market. Currently, nearly all fluorspar consumed in the United States is imported, with Mexico supplying 72 per cent of 2017 imports, followed by China and South Africa. Fluorspar prices have increased dramatically from $300 per ton in 2020 to over $470 per ton in 2025. China, which accounts for 60 per cent of global fluorspar production, has become a net importer of fluorspar since 2023. Ron Espell, Cleantech's president, comments: "With fluorspar designated as critical for applications in nuclear power, lithium batteries and semiconductors, Cleantech's fluorspar projects represent more than an attractive mining investment -- they are key to America's mineral independence. "Cleantech has positioned itself at the epicentre of America's potential fluorite renaissance. Cleantech's landholding now exceeds 8,150 acres with over 730 historic drill holes, in the Illinois-Kentucky fluorspar district, which once supplied over 90 per cent of U.S. fluorspar production from approximately 1914 to 1995. "Cleantech is looking forward to partnering with America's industrial fluorspar users and federal agencies to accelerate the development of IKFD and rewrite a new chapter in American fluorspar mining history." Qualified person The technical and scientific information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Carlos Zamora, CPG, a member of the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG) since 2024, who is an independent qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. About Cleantech Vanadium Mining Corp. Cleantech is a mining company focused on critical mineral resources in the United States. The company has an option to acquire 8,150 acres of mineral rights with historical fluorspar resources across multiple projects in the Illinois-Kentucky fluorspar district. Cleantech also owns a 100-per-cent interest in the Gibellini vanadium mine project in Nevada. We seek Safe Harbor.