Vanguard ends deal with American Salars for Pocitos 1

Mr. David Greenway reports VANGUARD MINING RECLAIMS 100% INTEREST IN POCITOS 1 LITHIUM SALAR PROJECT IN ARGENTINA, ENHANCING PORTFOLIO AS LITHIUM PRICES REBOUND AND SECTOR M&A ACTIVITY EXCEEDS US$8 BILLION Vanguard Mining Corp. has formally terminated for cause its agreement with American Salars Lithium Inc. regarding the sale of the company's 100-per-cent interest in the Pocitos 1 lithium salar project (Pocitos 1), an 800-hectare lithium brine property located near the town of Pocitos in Salta province, Argentina. The agreement with American Salars, originally announced on June 17, 2024, contemplated the sale of Vanguard's full interest in Pocitos 1. At that time, American Salars disclosed an inferred lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) mineral resource estimate in its June 17, 2024, news release, underscoring the project's exploration potential within Salta province's prolific lithium brine district. The agreement has been terminated for cause following American Salars' failure to make required local government payments under Law No. 8419 to the mining courts and the Mining and Energy Secretariat's General Revenue Office of Salta, as well as its neglect to satisfy other obligations owed to certain project creditors. As a result, Vanguard has retained 100-per-cent full ownership of Pocitos 1, thereby preserving its exploration upside and long-term value for the company's shareholders. David Greenway, president and chief executive officer of Vanguard Mining, commented: "By regaining full control of Pocitos 1, we have not only protected shareholder interests but also preserved exposure to a lithium project with recognized potential in one of Argentina's most active brine districts. This outcome reinforces Vanguard's disciplined approach to portfolio management and ensures that value generated from Pocitos 1 remains with our stakeholders. Looking forward, our strategy remains focused on advancing our core uranium and gold assets, including the Yuty Prometeo uranium project in southeastern Paraguay and the Brussels Creek gold project in British Columbia, while maintaining selective exposure to lithium as part of a balanced approach to the commodities driving the global energy transition." Looking ahead, Vanguard remains firmly focused on advancing its core portfolio of uranium and gold assets in the Americas, while retaining selective exposure to lithium through assets such as Pocitos 1. The company's exploration strategy is designed to deliver exposure to commodities central to global energy security and the energy transition, while maintaining disciplined capital allocation to projects that offer the strongest potential returns for shareholders. According to Trading Economics data, lithium carbonate prices in China are currently trading around 78,720 Chinese yuan per tonne ($10,957 (U.S.)/tonne), reflecting a strong rebound of more than 25 per cent over the past month after hitting multiyear lows below 60,000 Chinese yuan per tonne ($8,350 (U.S.)/tonne) earlier in 2025. While still well below the all-time highs reached during the 2022 supply squeeze, the recent surge highlights renewed demand momentum in the lithium sector and reinforces the commodity's role as a cornerstone of the global energy transition. About Pocitos 1 lithium brine deposit The Pocitos 1 lithium brine project is located in the lithium-rich Puna region of northwestern Argentina, a globally significant lithium district whose salars account for more than 50 per cent of the world's lithium brine resources. In 2023, WSP Australia completed a National Instrument 43-101-compliant mineral resource estimate (MRE) which, combining data from Pocitos 1 and the adjacent Pocitos 2 block, reported an inferred resource of 140 cubic metres of lithium brine with a grade of 101 milligrams per litre, yielding 143,000 tonnes of lithium metal, which when calculated for lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) is 760,000 tonnes. To date, all drilling has been conducted on Vanguard's 100-per-cent-owned Pocitos 1 block. Pocitos 1 lies approximately 10 kilometres from the town of Pocitos, where infrastructure such as natural gas, electricity and accommodation is available. Covering 800 hectares, Pocitos 1 is accessible year-round by road. More than $2.5-million (U.S.) has been invested in exploration to date, including surface sampling, trenching, TEM and MT geophysics, and the drilling of three wells. These wells returned outstanding brine flow results, with continuous flows recorded for over five hours. MT geophysics has also identified a deeper zone with potential for substantial resource expansion, supporting the project's strong development potential. National Instrument 43-101 mineral resource estimate highlights: Highest lithium value tested using packer sampling system was 169 ppm (parts per million) lithium at a depth 363 metres. The MT geophysics survey has discovered a large area to the west with a resistivity of 0.4 Omega m and a depth of more than one kilometre. Ekosolve DLE (direct lithium extraction) technology pilot plant testwork at University of Melbourne achieved 94.9-per-cent extraction efficiency with brines at an average lithium concentration of 86 ppm lithium of which 80.76 ppm was recovered. Significant brine flow was recorded in 2018 wells PO1 and PO2 and brine and gas in PO3 drilled in November, 2022. The company will start a new drill/production well program when the permits are issued by the Salta Mines Department. The project has completed a base line environmental study in preparation for a contemplated 20,000 tonne per year (tpy) DLE production plant for the project as previously announced by Vanguard and contemplated in the WSP Engineering MRE. The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Lawrence Segerstrom, a consulting geologist who is a qualified person as such term is defined under National Instrument 43-101 -- Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43- 101). Argentina and Salta: a premier global hub for lithium brine development Argentina has rapidly emerged as one of the world's most attractive jurisdictions for lithium investment and consolidation. Over the past three years, leading international companies -- including Rio Tinto, Eramet, Lithium Americas, Tecpetrol and POSCO -- have committed or deployed more than $14-billion (U.S.) through acquisitions, strategic financings and project expansions. This surge reflects both the exceptional geological quality of Argentina's salars, and a supportive policy environment designed to attract foreign direct investment and accelerate project development. At the heart of this transformation is the province of Salta, consistently ranked as one of the most favourable mining jurisdictions in South America. With established infrastructure, investor-friendly policies and proximity to world-class lithium salars, Salta has become a focal point for new capital and advanced-stage project development. Vanguard's view Global lithium demand is projected to triple by 2035, fuelled by growth in electric vehicles, energy storage systems and grid-scale renewable integration. With one of the largest lithium brine resource bases globally, Argentina -- and particularly Salta -- stands at the centre of this supply expansion. The introduction of Argentina's Regimen de Incentivo a las Grandes Inversiones (RIGI) framework further enhances investor confidence, offering long-term stability and scalability for large-cap projects. Together, these factors solidify Argentina's and Salta's position as premier global hubs for lithium brine development. About Vanguard Mining Corp. Vanguard Mining is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the discovery and development of high-value strategic minerals. The company is currently advancing uranium exploration projects in the United States and Paraguay, with a focus on identifying and developing assets critical to the global energy transition. Vanguard is committed to responsible exploration and value creation through the acquisition and advancement of highly prospective uranium properties. Qualified person The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Lawrence Segerstrom, a consulting geologist who is a qualified person as such term is defined under National Instrument 43-101 -- Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101). We seek Safe Harbor.