Alaska Energy's Nikolai project added to FAST-41 list

Mr. Gregory Beischer reports ALASKA ENERGY METALS ANNOUNCES NIKOLAI NICKEL PROJECT COVERAGE ON US PERMITTING COUNCIL'S FAST-41 TRANSPARENCY DASHBOARD Alaska Energy Metals Corp.'s Nikolai nickel project in Alaska has been accepted for coverage on the FAST-41 (Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act) transparency dashboard by the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council. The transparency dashboard listing will focus initially on infrastructure improvements supporting Nikolai, beginning with the rehabilitation and extension of the existing Rainy Creek mining trail, including installation of two temporary bridges and an on-site camp. Highlights: Alaska Energy Metals announces that the Nikolai nickel project has been accepted for coverage on the FAST-41 transparency dashboard by the United States permitting council. Permitting council executive director: "We are proud to support more mining projects that will strengthen the U.S. economy and reduce our reliance on foreign nations." The FAST-41 listing will focus initially on the rehabilitation and extension of the existing Rainy Creek mining trail, including installation of two temporary bridges and an on-site camp. The road and camp project will facilitate ground access, greatly reduce costs, and accelerate timelines for advanced exploration and development of the Eureka deposit, situated on the Nikolai project. Eureka is the largest known nickel resource in the U.S. and contains multiple critical metals: nickel, copper, cobalt, chromium, platinum and palladium, as well as iron. The listing will result in full transparency and coordination amongst the federal permitting agencies and set firm timelines on federal permitting milestones. The road and camp project will facilitate ground access, greatly reduce costs, increase safety and accelerate timelines for more advanced exploration and development of the Eureka deposit, situated on the Nikolai project. Eureka contains multiple critical metals: nickel, copper, cobalt, chromium, platinum and palladium, as well as iron. Thought to be the largest nickel resource known in the United States, the deposit is documented to contain an inferred resource of 4.25 million tonnes (9.38 billion pounds) of nickel in situ (2,082 million tonnes grading 0.20 per cent nickel) and a higher confidence indicated resource of 2.54 million tonnes (5.62 billion pounds) in situ (1,189 million tonnes grading 0.21 per cent nickel (for further details please refer to the 2025 mineral resource estimate). The listing will result in full transparency and co-ordination amongst the federal permitting agencies and set timelines on permitting milestones. "I am excited to welcome the Nikolai nickel project to the FAST-41 program," said Emily Domenech, permitting council executive director. "We are proud to support more mining projects that will strengthen the U.S. economy and reduce our reliance on foreign nations. I look forward to working with the Alaska Energy Metals Development Corp. to provide a transparent and predictable federal permitting process while achieving President Trump's vision for American energy dominance." Alaska Energy chief executive officer Gregory Beischer commented: "The cost and time savings for further exploration and development once ground access is established will be quite significant. It is very encouraging to see proactive streamlining and co-ordination amongst permitting agencies. We are grateful to the permitting council for including the Nikolai nickel project in the FAST-41 program. With Nikolai hosting six critical minerals -- nickel, cobalt, copper, chromium, platinum and palladium, two of which, nickel and cobalt, are Defense Production Act Title III materials deemed to be in shortfall, we are extremely well aligned with the U.S. national security objective of developing long-lived, domestic sources of metals and minerals essential to the national economy and national defense. Nikolai is a project potentially capable of significantly reducing U.S. nickel and cobalt import dependency and vulnerability." The Eureka deposit of the Nikolai project is situated approximately 80 kilometres (60 miles) south of the town of Delta Junction and 32 kilometres (20 miles) west of the Richardson Highway. The Rainy Creek mining trail leads from the Richardson Highway to present and past-producing alluvial gold mines at Rainy Creek and Broxson Gulch. AEMC proposes to rehabilitate the existing roadway, and to extend it approximately eight kilometres (six miles) from Broxson Gulch southward to the Eureka deposit. Additionally, a campsite is proposed. It is anticipated that the camp would house up to 100 company personnel and contractors. As part of the road project, temporary bridges would be placed to allow exploration vehicles and supplies to cross the Delta River and Eureka Creek. Restricted share unit change: The company also announces that the expiry date of 1.5 million restricted share units (RSUs) that were granted to an arm's-length consultant on Oct. 4, 2024, pursuant to the terms of the company's restricted share unit plan are being extended. The company has agreed to extend the expiry date of the 1.5 million RSUs originally expiring on Oct. 4, 2026, to now expire on Dec. 31, 2026. The extension of the RSUs expiry date is subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange. All other terms of such RSUs remain unamended. About the permitting council and FAST-41 Established in 2015 by Title 41 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act, the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (permitting council) is a federal agency charged with improving the transparency and predictability of the federal environmental review and authorization process for certain critical infrastructure projects. The permitting council is composed of the permitting council executive director, who serves as the council chair; 13 federal agency council members; and the chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the director of the Office of Management and Budget. The Office of the Executive Director co-ordinates federal environmental reviews and authorizations for projects that seek and qualify for FAST-41 coverage, which are in turn entitled to comprehensive permitting timetables and transparent, collaborative management of those timetables on the federal permitting dashboard. About Alaska Energy Metals Corp. Alaska Energy Metals is an Alaska-based corporation with offices in Anchorage and Vancouver working to sustainably deliver the critical materials needed for national security and a bright energy future, while generating superior returns for shareholders. Alaska Energy Metals is focused on delineating and developing the large-scale, bulk-tonnage, polymetallic Nikolai project Eureka deposit containing nickel, copper, cobalt, chromium, iron, platinum, palladium and gold. Located in interior Alaska near existing transportation and power infrastructure, its flagship project, Nikolai, is well situated to become a significant domestic source of strategic metals for North America. Alaska Energy also holds a secondary project in Western Quebec; the Angliers-Belleterre project. Today, material sourcing demands excellence in environmental performance, technological innovation, carbon mitigation and the responsible management of human and financial capital. Alaska Energy works every day to earn and maintain the respect and confidence of the public and believes that ESG (environmental, social and governance) performance is measured by action and led from the top. We seek Safe Harbor.