NIOB cuts target pegmatite in all Bardy holes

Six of eight drilled across 500 m east-west area also carry rare earth minerals

Vancouver, British Columbia, Aug. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — North American Niobium and Critical Minerals Corp. (CSE: NIOB) (FSE: KS82.F) (OTCQB: NIOMF) (“NIOB” or the “Company”) has validated its radon targeting approach, after drilling at Bardy delivers a 100% hit rate for pegmatite dykes and a 75% hit rate for rare earth minerals. The pegmatite dykes were predicted from soil-gas radon anomalies at the Québec property. Hole BBY-2026-006 returned the strongest visual mineralization, including an eight-metre syenitic pegmatite (139.70 m to 147.70 m) with visible allanite. The hole ended in mineralized pegmatite, leaving the system open in all directions. All observations are from visual core logging; drill core is being sampled for laboratory analysis.

“These visual observations confirm the targeting approach we are applying across our portfolio in Québec’s Grenville Province,” said Murray Nye, NIOB’s Chief Executive Officer. “We used a radon survey to target the pegmatite and surface mapping to target rare-earth minerals. Every hole intersected pegmatite, and six of the eight holes carry visible allanite, with parisite logged in one hole. These are encouraging visual results, and we look forward to the assay results that will test the rare-earth tenor.” 

Highlights

• Every hole hit the target. All eight holes (BBY-2026-001 to -008) totaling 1,554 m and drilled across a 500-metre east–west area, intersected the targeted syenitic-to-granitic pegmatite dykes.

• Rare-earth minerals in six of the eight holes. Visible allanite—and parisite in hole BBY-2026-001— was logged in six holes. The two remaining holes cut the same target pegmatite carrying magnetite, confirming dyke continuity.

• Hole 006 delivered the strongest visual mineralization and is open at depth. BBY-2026-006 intersected an eight-metre syenitic pegmatite (139.70 m to 147.70 m) with an allanite-rich interval at 146.20 m to 146.40 m, an allanite cluster at 8.20 m to 8.30 m, and disseminated allanite at 71.30 m to 71.65 m. The hole ended in pegmatite at 156 metres, and is open at depth.

• Coarse allanite in hole 004. BBY-2026-004 returned a ~2 cm allanite-dominant mass at 35.40 m to 36.30 m with a strong scintillometer response, plus allanite and apatite/possible monazite over 28.75 m to 30.60 m.

• Mineralization down the deepest holes. BBY-2026-003 (216 m) logged allanite at 97.0 m and 195.2 m; BBY-2026-008 (300 m) logged disseminated allanite over 154.90 m to 157.20 m.

• Radon targeting validated. The pegmatite dykes were predicted from soil-gas radon anomalies; every hole confirmed a dyke, and three-quarters host rare-earth minerals.

All Eight Holes Cut the Targeted Pegmatite

Figure 1: Close-up of allanite-bearing syenitic pegmatite, hole BBY-2026-006, ~80.2 m.

Click here to view image 

The program tested soil-gas radon anomalies and the main Bardy dyke (~N70/-50) against the property’s surface rare-earth plus/minus niobium showing, over a 500-metre east–west area.

All eight holes intersected the targeted syenitic-to-granitic pegmatite dykes, validating the radon-anomaly targeting model. Rare-earth-bearing minerals—principally allanite, with parisite in hole BBY-2026-001 and apatite/possible monazite locally—were also logged in six of the eight holes: BBY-2026-001, -003, -004, -006, -007, and -008. The two remaining holes cut the same target pegmatite carrying magnetite, without visible rare-earth minerals, confirming dyke continuity across the area drilled.

Allanite was identified by comparison with government reference photographs of neodymium-praseodymium mineralized rocks from the district; in core it occurs as dark green, prismatic crystals that give a scintillometer response.

Hole BBY-2026-006
BBY-2026-006 returned the most consistent rare-earth mineralization of the program: an allanite cluster at 8.20 m to 8.30 m, disseminated allanite at 71.30 m to 71.65 m, and an eight-metre syenitic pegmatite from 139.70 m to 147.70 m with an allanite-rich interval at 146.20 m to 146.40 m. The hole ended at 156 metres in syenitic pegmatite, indicating the mineralized structure continues below the current hole depth and supports a deeper follow-up hole.

Drill Hole Collar Details
The eight holes completed at Bardy are summarized below, as compiled from the project drill-hole database.

Collar coordinates are in UTM Zone 18N (UTME = easting, UTMN = northing; NAD83 to be confirmed). All eight holes were drilled at a dip of -50 degrees. Total: 1,554 m across eight holes over a 500 m east-west area. Reported intervals are downhole (core) lengths; true widths have not yet been determined.

Next Steps

1. Drill core is being sampled and submitted for multi-element and rare-earth-element assay at an accredited laboratory; results will be disclosed once received and validated under the Company’s QA/QC protocols.
2. Integrate the eight Bardy holes into the geological model to define the orientation, continuity, and true widths of the mineralized pegmatite dykes.
3. Evaluate a deeper follow-up hole at BBY-2026-006 to test the down-dip extension, which remains open at depth.
4. Continue the planned drill program on the adjacent Blanchette property.

Figure 2: Syenitic pegmatite, hole BBY-2026-006, 36.30-41.00 m.

Click here to view image 

Qualified Person
The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”). Clyde McMillan, P.Geo., Vice President, Exploration of the Company and a Qualified Person as defined under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained herein. As an officer of the Company, Mr. McMillan is not independent of the Company for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101.

Mr. McMillan, the Qualified Person, has verified the data disclosed in this news release. Verification consisted of a review of the daily geological reports prepared by Laurentia Exploration, the Company’s field geological contractor, which documented consistent diagnostic characteristics of the rare-earth minerals across the holes, including colour, crystal habit, scintillometer response, and geological setting. Because this disclosure is based on visual core logging and qualitative field instruments only, no analytical (assay) data was available to be verified; the Qualified Person cautions that visual mineral identifications are preliminary and require laboratory analysis for confirmation.

The mineralization described in this news release has been identified by visual examination of drill core and qualitative field instruments. Visual identifications are preliminary in nature, are inherently uncertain, and may not be representative of the rare-earth-element content of the rock. Sampling and laboratory analysis are required to confirm the nature and tenor of any mineralization, and the Company cautions that mineralization observed at the Bardy property is not necessarily indicative of economic mineralization. All reported pegmatite intervals and widths in this news release are downhole (core) lengths. True widths have not yet been determined and will be estimated once the geological model is updated with the remaining drill-hole data.

ABOUT NORTH AMERICAN NIOBIUM AND CRITICAL MINERALS CORP.
North American Niobium and Critical Minerals Corp. is a North American mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of precious, base, and critical mineral assets. Its portfolio includes the Silver Lake property in British Columbia’s Omineca Mining Division and a district-scale land package covering 29,936 hectares in Québec’s Grenville Province. The Québec properties host rare earth element, niobium, and nickel-copper occurrences, expanding the Company’s footprint into critical minerals that are strategically important for energy and defense applications.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Murray Nye
Chief Executive Officer
info@northamericanniobium.com
+1 (647) 984-4204

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “potential”, “possible”, “will”, “plans”, “continues” and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions or results “will”, “may”, “could” or “should” occur or be achieved.
Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: (i) the submission of drill core for laboratory analysis and the expected timing and disclosure of assay results; (ii) the interpretation of visual core-logging observations, including the presence and identity of rare-earth-bearing minerals; (iii) the potential for the mineralized pegmatite at hole BBY-2026-006 to continue at depth; (iv) the Company’s plans to update its geological model and to evaluate follow-up drilling at Bardy; and (v) the continuation of drilling at the adjacent Blanchette property. 
Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially, including, without limitation: risks that assay results may not confirm visual observations; the inherent uncertainty of visual identifications of mineralization; risks relating to exploration and development; the availability of financing; laboratory and analytical delays; changes in commodity prices; and the other risk factors discussed in the Company’s continuous-disclosure documents filed under its profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. 
Mineral identifications in this news release were made by comparison with publicly available government reference photographs of rare-earth (neodymium-praseodymium) mineralized rocks from the surrounding district. Such comparisons are used for mineral identification only and are not necessarily indicative of the mineralization, or of the rare-earth tenor, on the Company’s Bardy property.
The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date hereof. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release.