Alaska Energy Metals Achieves High Extraction Rates of Metals from Hydromet Testing, Nikolai Nickel Project, Alaska

Alaska Energy Metals Corporation (AEMC) reported high metal extraction rates from Pressure Oxidation (POX) hydrometallurgical testing of bulk Ni-Cu concentrate from the Eureka Deposit at its Nikolai Project. Testing conducted by Simulus Laboratories using Lifezone's proprietary technology achieved extraction rates of 97.2% for Nickel, 99.3% for Copper, 98.9% for Cobalt, and 99.5% for Platinum.

A follow-up Locked Cycle Flotation Test (LCT-4) demonstrated improved metal recoveries compared to prior tests, with Nickel up +4.9%, Copper up +6.9%, and Cobalt up +5.2%, though with slightly lower concentrate grades. The results support the viability of on-site hydrometallurgical refining, which would eliminate the need to ship concentrate to external smelters and improve metal payability.

Future work will focus on testing lower-grade bulk concentrate and conducting economic trade-off analyses regarding reagent consumption and materials of construction.

Alaska Energy Metals Corporation (AEMC) released results that serve as a direct follow-up to the July 2026 LCT-1 findings and the October 2026 RecycLiCo partnership announcement. The data confirms that process optimization is successfully increasing base and precious metal recoveries. High extraction rates validate the technical feasibility of on-site refining, which structurally improves long-term project economics by removing smelter shipping costs and enhancing payability, particularly for copper.

The release does not introduce new funding, alter the permitting timeline, or release a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA). It represents an incremental step in the metallurgical workstream that management has been executing since mid-2025. Given the company's going concern status and reliance on continuous equity financing, this technical progress does not immediately de-risk the balance sheet or alter the near-term capital raise requirement.

Alaska Energy Metals Corporation (AEMC) is an exploration-stage critical minerals company focused on the Nikolai Nickel Project in Alaska's Delta River Mining District and the Angliers-Belleterre project in Quebec. The company’s flagship Eureka Deposit at Nikolai is classified as the largest known nickel resource in the United States. A 2025 Mineral Resource Estimate defines 2.54 million tonnes of Indicated material grading 0.21% Ni and 4.25 million tonnes of Inferred material grading 0.20% Ni.

The deposit is polymetallic, hosting seven U.S. Government-designated Critical Minerals: nickel, copper, cobalt, chromium, platinum, palladium, gold, and iron. Alaska Energy Metals is actively pursuing alignment with U.S. national security objectives, including FAST-41 federal permitting streamlining and Defense Production Act Title III funding opportunities.