NIOB Authorized to Drill at Two More Quebec Projects

• On 9 Apr 2026 the company received Authorization for Impact‑Causing Exploration Work (ATI) permits from Québec’s MRNF for its 100 % owned Bardy and Blanchette projects.
• The permits are valid until 23 Mar 2028 and allow diamond drilling and construction of access trails.
• Simultaneously, the board approved a grant of 320,000 restricted share units (RSUs) to an advisory consultant; vesting occurs nine months after issuance.
• A three‑month marketing services agreement with The New Beverley Group was signed for a US$100 k fee.

• Permitting: Enables the next operational phase—diamond drilling at two additional projects. This is a direct continuation of earlier ATI approvals (Seigneurie, March 2026) and follows the company’s stated 2026 drill‑program roadmap.
• Financial: The RSU grant adds potential dilution but is modest relative to the share base; the marketing fee is a cash outflow of US$100 k (~C$135 k). Neither item materially alters the balance sheet.
• Market reaction: Because the market already anticipated drilling at Bardy and Blanchette (permits were filed in early February), the news confirms expectations rather than surprises. Hence it is classified as routine and positive—it removes a permitting bottleneck without introducing new risk or upside.

North American Niobium focuses on niobium‑rich pegmatites and REE‑bearing carbonatite/alkaline intrusions in Québec’s Grenville Province. The flagship assets are:

• Seigneurie: 100 % owned, historic drill data suggests a >300 m wide pegmatite system; early assay work shows ~0.15 % Nb₂O₅ and notable REE grades.
• Bardy & Blanchette: Adjacent projects with high‑grade surface grab samples (up to 2.7 % total REEs, 0.14 % Nb₂O₅) and newly authorized drilling.
• Sabot & Miskam: Additional targets under early‑stage exploration.

The company’s 2026 budget (~C$2.69 M) funds a district‑scale program: geophysics, radon surveys, backpack sampling, and up to 6,000 m of diamond drilling across the four core properties.