N.A. Niobium sets out exploration plans for 2026

Executive Summary

• North American Niobium and Critical Minerals Corp. has launched a fully funded C$2.69 million comprehensive exploration program for 2026 focused on niobium and rare earth elements (REE) across its 29,936-hectare land package in Quebec’s Grenville province.
• The program is structured in four stages: surface geochemistry, geophysical surveys, overburden-penetrating bedrock sampling, and diamond drilling, with the goal of advancing top targets toward a maiden mineral resource estimate.
• The company highlights historic assay results from four key properties (Blanchette, Bardy, Sabot, and Seigneurie) that compare favorably with global benchmarks for REE and niobium grades, supporting the decision to proceed with significant drilling.

Key Details

• Total Budget: C$2.69 million for the 2026 exploration program.
• Land Package: 29,936 hectares in Quebec’s Grenville province, focused on niobium and REE targets hosted in carbonatite, syenite, and NYF-pegmatite systems.
• Historic Assay Highlights:
  • Blanchette pegmatite: 2.7% total rare earth elements (TRE).
  • Bardy pegmatite: 0.68% TRE.
  • Sabot syenite: 0.21% TRE.
  • Seigneurie pegmatite: 0.4% TRE plus 0.3% niobium.
• 2026 Program Structure & Budget Allocation:
  • Surface Geochemistry ($80,000): Assessment of soil gas surveys (radon/helium) and fluorine-hydrogeochemistry to identify pathfinder elements.
  • Geophysical Surveys ($250,000): Airborne magnetics and radiometrics (drone or helicopter-based) to be completed by the end of Q1 2026.
  • Bedrock Sampling ($200,000): Non-hydraulic gas-powered drilling to sample bedrock beneath till cover (max depth ~4m), to be completed by end of Q1 2026.
  • Diamond Drilling ($1.9 Million): A 6,000-meter drill program planned for Q3 2026 to confirm subsurface continuity, scale, and grade of mineralized systems.
• Future Milestones: Contingent on successful drilling, the company intends to initiate mineralogical characterization, baseline metallurgical testing, and a maiden mineral resource estimate.
• Strategic Context: Niobium is designated as a critical mineral by Canada and the U.S. Department of Defense; over 90% of global supply comes from a single jurisdiction, creating supply chain risks that this project aims to mitigate.

Notable Quotes

• "We are drilling across the company's entire portfolio in 2026 to maximize our chances of making a significant critical element discovery," said Murray Nye, chief executive officer. "This work program positions North American Niobium to systematically advance multiple rare earth elements/niobium targets in one of the world's most prospective geological belts for critical minerals."